


The One Who Almost Got Away...

by chele20035



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Toast!Babies, gadge!babies, gadge!baby, toast!baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2014-09-19
Packaged: 2018-01-19 09:58:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 94,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1465171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chele20035/pseuds/chele20035
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peeta always thought of Katniss as the one who got away, he just didn't realize what he did leave when he left town 5 years ago. It was only after a hometown visit and a chance birthday party when he comes face to face with his past and hopefully his future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to say thank you to janeeyre54 and nonnie_mouse for letting me be a pest when I wanted someone to read this... and a thank you for taking a minute to read it!! There are many more chapters written, and they will be longer than this one I promise. Another thank you for the writers on this fandom before me, I borrowed some of their names for these beloved characters.
> 
> and I don't own anything to do with the hunger games... just a good imagination...

October

Katniss hid behind her favorite oak tree in the back yard. The small giggles drifted to her across the yard then she heard the small voice say, “Mama!! I’m going to find you! Where oh where could you be?” As she peered around the tree she saw the little blonde head look around the corner of the house looking for her. They played this game every day and she always hid in the same place and he still had to look everywhere else before he found her. He looked up from the corner and then went over to where Charlie’s dog house was and looked down into it. She gave a giggle. Only her son would think she could fit in side of the small terrier’s house. He then walked over to his club house that was attached to his swing set. That was the new addition to the yard. She had built it herself, well with Gale and Rory’s help of course. That was his 4th birthday present. Once it had gotten warmer, they had cake and ice cream and his new friends from school to help him play on it for the first time ever. 

He climbed into the club house and called for her. Then she waited… and waited… and waited… he must have gotten distracted by the toys that were in there. So on hunter’s feet she crept across the yard to peer inside of the clubhouse window. He was there talking to his superman and his Spiderman. She could over hear him telling his friends about his day at school. “Ms. Annie let me color whatever I wanted and then she said that I drew just like my daddy could. Superman how does Ms. Annie know about my daddy? Why is it she has seen him but I never have? I just want him to come and see me once so I can hug him.” At those words, Katniss’s heart broke even more than what it already was. 

“Oh Jack-jack. I’m sorry honey that you feel that way.”

His little snapped up. “Mommy! You are supposed to be hiding! I was coming to find you. I just had to tell Superman something first. Can I have a snack? I’m hungry.”

“Of course Jack-jack. Come on. It’s almost time for supper.”

As they walked into the house that is when Aunt Prim, Jack’s favorite person in his little world, besides his mama of course, arrived home from her classes. “There you are!! “He said as he threw himself at her legs. “Are you a doctor yet?” Prim and Katniss laughed. Since Prim started medical school at district that fall that was the question that Jack asked her every day when she arrived home. Katniss had graduated 4 years ago, right after she had found out she was pregnant with her degree in business. Once she saved up enough, she opened up her camping and outdoor supply store. She had just hired Posy and Vick Hawthorne to work in the storefront so she could start giving guided tours in the state parks and forests that surrounded their town. Business was going good. So good in fact that she didn’t have to take out the loan her parents’ house like she thought she was going to have to. 

Prim kissed Jack on the top of the head. “I’ve got to go meet Rory at Sae’s. I won’t be here for supper sis.”

“Well thank you for telling me this time!” Katniss called after Prim as she ran up the stairs to change and drop off her books.

Katniss sliced up an apple so Jack could have his snack. As he climbed up on the bar stool to watch her, she asked him about his day. “Oh it was good mommy. We played outside and ate lunch and snack. I didn’t take a nap. Ms. Annie said as long as I was on my cot I didn’t have to.” Of course he was saying all this as he was fighting a yawn. 

“Is that all you did today Jack-jack?” Katniss didn’t want to right out ask him about what Annie had said; she wanted him to ask her those questions. She needed to take him to school early so she could talk to Annie. She tried to remember if she had talked to her about Jack’s dad. She didn’t like that Annie brought him up like she did. 

Jack looked down at his apple and took a deep breath. “Ms. Annie said that I could draw just like daddy could. Why does she know what daddy can do?"

“Baby… Annie knew daddy when we all went to school together. Remember I told you, mommy and Annie and Johanna and aunt Madge all were friends."

“Ohhhh” he said. It came out as a sigh. Katniss knew that when he got that look, and that little boy, smaller than he is now voice, he was fighting tears. He looked up at his mommy, his anchor in his little heart that kept him grounded, “But mommy, why won’t he come to see me?” tears were falling now. “You said that one day I’ll get to see him. Is it one day yet? Can we go see him? Does he know where I live?”

She walked around the counter and gathered her little man in her arms. She felt the tears coming down her face too as she held him. She knew that one day she was going to have to start answering those questions. But how could she when she didn’t know herself? She scooped him up and walked over to the couch and sat down with him in her lap. As she smoothed his sweaty little boy curls away from his forehead, and smelled his little boy smell, she was amazed how everyday he looked more and more like a miniature version of his father. Her silver eyes looked back at her, thick curly blonde hair that was like hers when it curls at the slightest bit of humidity but the rest was his father made over. “I love you my Jack-jack. One day, we will have those answers. But know it’s not today. And I and your Aunt Prim and Uncle Gale and Aunt Madge love you very very much. That will never change.” 

Jack wiped his nose on his mommy’s sleeve. “Ewwwww Jack-jack!! “She said. He gave his mommy the biggest grin ever, and that was one of his little giggles. “Let’s go find something we can eat for supper, ok?”

He gave his mommy another hug. “I want pizza.”

“Mmmm that does sound good. What kind?”

“Your pizza! He giggled. Oh how she will never get tired of hearing that sound. So they stood up and went into the kitchen together to start the dough so they could make pizza.


	2. chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading!!!! I also need to thank nonnie_mouse and janeeyre54 for letting me annoy them about reading... and asking again and again how it sounded. and to sohypothetically for being so encouraging! 
> 
> And now, lets get Peeta home for at least a weekend, and I promise that the chapters will get longer...

He was tired, so tired. He didn’t think he had ever been this tired in his life. He had just finished working an eighty hour work week. Even when he was still at home working in the bakery he didn’t work this hard. At least it was sitting behind a desk work and not physical labor. He had started working for the firm right after college and he had been promoted four times in four years. Right now he was at the Charlotte office to test the waters to see if he wanted to move and take it over from Portia who didn’t want to come back to work after her maternity leave. He had been working at the Atlanta branch for the past four years. When he had finished his latest job, the big bosses had been so impressed that they offered him the second in command at the branch in Charlotte. 

Running his hands through his hair, and sighing in exhaustion, he turned off his desk lamp and locked up the office after telling his temporary assistant to go home. It was Friday so he had some time to rest and to think before he gave them his answer on Monday. As he drove back to the hotel he was staying at, he remembered coming to Charlotte when he was a boy with his family. It had grown a lot since then but if he moved then he would be closer to home than he was in Atlanta. His family wasn’t that close, but when it mattered they were. His mom could have her moments but he learned a long time ago that she wanted more for her sons than what she had. That’s why she could be so hard on her family at times. Instead of letting him stay home and take over the bakery, she had pushed him into the fine arts/advertising degree than he graduated with and now was working in that field. Tomorrow he might drive up to the mountains to visit his hometown. It would be good to go see everyone. Get some fresh bread and fresh air before he had to drive back to Atlanta on Sunday night. 

The next morning he woke up bright and early. It was amazing how after all this time; he was still on baker’s hours. So he checked out of the hotel and got in his truck and turned towards home. He let his mind began to wonder as he drove. He wondered if she was still in town. He hasn't seen her since before college graduation, when they had had broken up. Even after all this time, he couldn’t think about her without regret going through his heart and a longing so strong at times it felt like it was going to choke him. He still didn’t know why he didn’t go back to apologize again that night. He had tried to call her before leaving to go to Atlanta, but she never did return his calls. He would even call his dad to get him to see about her. She had even stopped coming into the bakery after that. 

Memories of their time together in college flooded his senses. Studying together, but not really getting anything done, hanging out with everyone down by the river, the sweet nights when they would spend all night tangled up in each other. He knew that she was still in their hometown. Dad had told him about seeing her through the years at this store or that one. Where was she working at in their little town? There wasn’t a lot of professional jobs there. Right about now he saw a billboard on the side of the road. Since he was in advertising he always noticed those. “Daddy Everdeen’s Wilderness Supply” he read out loud. Wait… could it be Katniss had finally opened up her own business? She had always talked about it when they were in school. It was a dream she had said that her dad had always talked about doing when he was sharing his passion with her growing up. If that was her, then he was truly happy for her. It was just weird how his dad had never mentioned it when they talked. 

He pulled up in the family parking behind the bakery and parked his truck. He didn’t call his parents to tell them that he was on the way. He stopped at the back door and took a deep breath before stepping in the door. As past experience dictated, his visits home were either really good, or really, really bad. He guessed that’s why he didn’t come back as often as he should. He opened the door and stepped into the place that held his childhood memories. 

His dad was standing at the prep table getting the loaves ready for the oven. By this time this was the second batch going in. Saturdays were the busy day of the week as most of the town was off of work and spent the day in the quarter running the weekly errands. Mr.Mellark looked up and his eyes lit up as he saw his youngest son coming in the back door. He clapped his hands together and they met and embraced. Peeta hadn’t been home since the previous Christmas, and it was now October, almost Halloween.  
“Son! Where did you come from? We had no idea you were coming by!” 

Peeta laughed, “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Rye, the middle brother heard the voices and looked in the kitchen. His eyes lit up when he saw his baby brother. As true brothers tended to do, they could pick on one another all they wanted to, but if anyone else even thought about it, then there was a fight. “What brings you to town little brother?”

“Well I have news… is mom and Bram around?” 

“I can call them. Mom is at home working on the books and Bram is upstairs… what’s wrong?” asked Mr.Mellark.

“Call Bram, I’ll tell mom later. You know how she is when you interrupt her when she is doing the books.” The boys exchanged a look. They knew what it was to cross Mrs. Mellark. It was something you don’t forget when she got mad. All three Mellark boys had the scars to prove it. 

Once Bram was downstairs Peeta took a deep breath and said, “I have an opportunity to take over the Charlotte branch of the firm. I have to let them know by Monday. I know that it’s still an hour and a half away, but I’d get to come home more…” Mr.Mellark grabbed his youngest in a hug. “Son that would be wonderful! Charlotte is a lot closer that Atlanta on any day!”

Rye and Bram offered congrats. Bram had married his high school sweetheart years ago and now had two Mellark boys of his own. Bram still worked in the bakery. He also worked part time at the high school where he was the wrestling coach. As his coach had helped him, he was helping his boys win state and regional titles. Rye had just proposed to his longtime girlfriend and they were getting married the next spring. He worked at the courthouse as a court reporter and would help out when he was needed at the bakery.  
Bram slapped Peeta on the back. “I hate to cut this short but I’ve got to take Tyler to a birthday party. Hey you remember Gale Hawthorne?” He waited for Peeta to give him a nod. “He married Madge Undersee and they have a little boy who is turning five. Tyler is so excited to go to the party. “ 

Peeta thought for a moment. He needed to talk to his mom about the move, but he knew that if she was working on the books, she would be in there all day. “Hey why don’t I tag along? I’d love to see some of the old gang.” 

Bram, with is arm around his brother’s shoulders led him out the back door as Rye and their father exchanged a look. As in all little towns, and District 12 was no different, there were rumors that circulated. Since Peeta had been gone, there were all kinds of rumors that were spoken. The two Mellark men exchanged a knowing look. They knew that if Peeta was going to a Hawthorne birthday party, Peeta, quite possibly was getting to come face to face with one of those rumors. And they knew that their lives were getting ready to change if the rumor was anywhere near true.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack couldn’t sit still. Mommy just couldn’t get ready fast enough and though it was just 3 houses away, he is going to Daniel’s birthday party. And it isn’t just a birthday party; it’s going to be a Spiderman birthday party. Auntie Madge even bought the cake at the bakery in the quarter across from the playground. If Jack had thought about it for a minute, he would have wondered why his mommy didn’t take him into the bakery, but right now there is too much raw excitement going through him to think. Jack had even gone to the toy store to get Daniel’s present. He had decided to get him the Spiderman blasters that shot real web out. He had decided to get that for him since Auntie Madge had made him a Superman cape for his birthday. In fact he wore it now. The only time it ever left his little shoulders is when he took a bath and if Ms.Annie didn’t let him wear it at school. But sometimes if he asked her just right, she would let him and Daniel wear their capes at school. That is when those silly girls would wear their princess dresses and those crown things that they would lose. Mommy said that he couldn’t wear it at night anymore, especially after he had gotten himself tangled in it that first night and he had that really bad dream that something was holding him and wouldn’t let him get to mommy. He didn’t like to think about that. 

“Jack where are you?” mommy calls for him. 

“I’m here mommy. Aren’t you ready yet? I won’t get any cake if you don’t hurry up!”

“Jack you know that Aunt Madge won’t cut the cake until everyone is there. You know that. Now let’s put our coats on and well go.” Once they had wrestled into their coats and picked up Daniel’s present, they were out the door.

Once they were outside and walking down the sidewalk Katniss starts looking at the cars and trucks to see who is already at the party. Still holding her hand she notices that Jack is pulling on her. She doesn’t even remember stopping because she sees a truck that she hasn’t seen in years. It’s his truck sitting on the side of the street because there is the dent on the bumper that she put on it when she was backing Finn’s boat into lake Rhodhiss and the same camo seat covers that she bought for him that last Christmas they were together.

She could feel the anxiety closing off her airway, she hadn’t felt this way in a long time and she thought she was over it. But then again, it wasn’t every day that she saw his truck. It was only because Jack was pulling on her hand that she even made it to Madge’s front door. Right when jack drags her onto the porch, Madge comes running out. Reaching out to catch Katniss, “He came with Bram. He isn’t even supposed to be in town! We all know that he hasn’t been home since Christmas.”

Looking back at the truck, she stops, picks up Jack and starts to turn away to run back home. While she is picking him up, Prim comes out, grabs a hold of her arm like she isn’t going to let go and looks at her with tears in her eyes and says, “Katniss you can’t leave now. You owe Jack a chance to meet him at least once.”

Katniss looks into her little bear’s eyes and she knows that she can either disappoint him or give him the one thing that he has been asking for since he knew what to ask for. She supposes that Gale could only be a substitute daddy for so long. Giving a big sigh and fighting the tears gathering in her own eyes, she wonders how her life got to this point. Setting Jack back on the porch, meeting Prim and Madge’s gazes, she decides it’s time to face the past that has been haunting her for the past 5 years. “Well I’m not really ready for this, but I knew that one day it would come. I just didn’t think it would be at Daniel’s birthday party.” 

Embracing her sister in a big hug, Prim whispers to her, “I’m not leaving your side unless you want me to.”

Then here comes Madge giving her a hug too. Whispering to her too, “Somehow it will be ok. Have faith in that. Don’t worry. We know he isn’t going to grab Jack and do something like run out the door.”

During the hugging, Katniss starts to cry. Wiping her tears and giving a little laugh, “He knows I would shoot him with my bow before he would make it too far.”

Prim and Madge join in the laughter while Jack looks at them like they are silly mommies and an aunt Prim that they are. Then he notices mommy’s tears. So he does what his little heart wants to do, and that is to give mommy a big, big hug. When he feels her arms going around him to return his hug, and mommy’s kiss on his cheek, he knows that she will be ok. Wiggling to get away, he whispers, “Mommy I gotta go find Daniel…” 

Going into the house where he spends as much time as he does at home, he loves how they have all of the party stuff out and ready to play. He walks through the living room and goes over to the cake table. His little mouth waters while looking at the Spiderman cake. Seeing his friends playing in the back yard, where Uncle Gale has set up all of the games that they had told him about, he runs to the backyard through the French doors. 

By this time the ladies have made it into the house. They are just in time to see Jack admiring the cake and then running outside to where the boys and girls are running around and playing the games. Katniss watches Jack walk over to the balloon and dart game. Rory was there to help the boys to not throw the darts at one another. Prim turns to her to ask if she will be ok while she goes to see if Rory needs any helps. Nodding a yes that she will be alright, her eyes drift over the sea of faces there. Her heart feels like it stops when she sees him. The face who haunts her dreams every night. Sometimes they were good dreams, other times she helplessly would watch him walk away from her and Jack. It was then she would wake up screaming. She hates those nights. Those were the nights when her sweet boy would come running to mommy’s bed to hold her. She hates that she worries about her like he does. 

@@@@

Watching the kids at the Hawthorne house run and play in the back yard brought back so many memories of his own childhood and playing with his brothers. How they would all run and play tag until someone would get hurt. Or how they would throw whatever to see who could throw the furthest. Then there were the wrestling matches that would involve everyone in the neighborhood. 

He can feel her enter the room before he ever sees her. He didn’t think that she still had that effect on him. He looks around the yard and there she was. Once when he was young she had been an obsession. In high school they had awkward friendship. Then when they were older she became a lover. She is the source of his biggest regret. He will always think of her as the one who got away. Meeting her eyes across the room, he sees something there that he has never seen before in her eyes. Was that fear? Could Katniss Everdeen be afraid of him?

It was then in that moment he notices a flash of blonde hair with a red cape run to Katniss. He wonders why Tyler would be running to her. He didn’t think that his nephew knew Katniss. Then he hears the voice of the little boy when she bends to pick him up and he knows that it isn’t Tyler at all. He keeps on watching, not able to take his eyes off the pair. For it was then that little boy turns and looks at him. He sees her silver eyes, but he could swear that it is a picture of him from when he was that age. It feels like the air has been sucked out of the room. He feels like he can’t move. His eyes seek out Katniss’s. She briefly met his eyes and then looked down to the little boy. It was then that he saw the sadness in her eyes. Could it be?

Before he has a chance to think about what is going on, Finnick Odair interrupts him when he comes up to him and slaps him on the back, “Dude what in the hell are you doing here?” 

Looking at Finnick in frustration for stopping him from walking over to her, “I drove up to see the family and Bram and Tyler dragged me here. I’ve got to drive back to Atlanta tomorrow. The firm wants me to take over the office in Charlotte. How are you? How is the pool business?”

Finnick Odair is the pool guy of the town. He had bought out his father when he wanted to retire and sell it. He and Annie had gotten married two years ago and was living their happily ever after. Finnick sees the direction Peeta had been going. Lowering his voice, Peeta hears with bewilderment at the concern he hears there. “Man I’m glad that you’re here. But before you say too much, take a minute to listen to what she has to say. A 5 year olds birthday party is not the place to do it. See if she will meet you later. Ok?”

As Finn’s words sunk in, Peeta’s stomach twists even more. He nods as he pats Finn on the back. “At least let me go say hello. I’ll catch up with you in a little bit, ok?”  
Finn nods. “Just remember, we were all kids back then. Don’t think about how everything turned out. think about the future instead.”

Peeta turns and looks at Finn and realizes that he knows something. What in the hell is everyone keeping from him? What is going on? Why has no one told him? 

Katniss starts to shake and it feels like all of the air has been sucked out of the room because she can’t breathe at all, when she sees that Peeta is on the way to see her. By the time he had reaches her she is shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. 

One thing hasn’t changed in all these years and that is his ability to make her feel like she is the most beautiful woman in the room. Even now she can feel his gaze taking her in like a dry man in the desert who has been out there for entirely too long. Oh how she misses everything about him, his touches, his kisses, his touch but she can’t think that way; she doesn’t belong to him anymore. so when He comes to stand by her and says, “Hello Katniss. You are looking good. How are you?” she is a jumbled mess of nerves.

She slowly lets out the breath that she has been holding. She gives him a glance before looking outside at the boys running after each other. “I’m doing ok. How are you?"

Peeta’s eyes follow her line of sight. Watching the boys running, he sees the blonde head of his nephew Tyler and the other blonde who he thought was Tyler. Trying to keep his breathing even and his heart beat steady, as if he is a hunter trying not to startle the mockingjay that he was been hunting for as if she was the holy grail. “It’s good to see you. That much I know is true.” Reaching out and touching her arm, he touches her to ground himself to make sure she is real, and he wants to let her know that what he is going to say, he is not saying it to hurt her. “Is there any way that we can meet later and talk? I would love to catch up.” 

Katniss knew this moment was coming. She was foolish to think that she could put it off any longer. Maybe she should have pushed harder when she really needed to talk to him instead of letting others make the decisions for her. “Ok. Do you remember where my parent’s old house is? It’s just right up the street?” Peeta nodded. How could he forget? He made friends with the Hawthorne’s just so he could walk by it on the way to their house. “Come by tonight. Around 8?”

“Ok.” He nods “I’ll see you later” Peeta takes another deep breath like he wants to say something else, but instead looks at her like a sad puppy, with a sad smile and walks away. 

In the next moment Prim was by her side. “Sorry sis, I was helping Rory get the darts away from the boys. Are you ok?”

Taking a calming breath she mentally checks herself. “I think so.”

“Did he see Jack?” Prim asked

“Yes,” Katniss sighed. “He did. I don’t think Jack saw him. Not that he would know who he would be looking for anyway.”

“What’s going to happen now?”

“Well he asked if we could talk and I said that he could come over at 8.”

Prim drew a sharp breath. “Are you ok? Are you ready for this?”

“I really don’t know Prim. I do know that Jack is. And you can’t deny him anything just like I can’t. And he wants to know his father. I just hope that Peeta doesn’t reject him again. He can break my heart, but when it comes to jack, I’ll shoot him in the woods before I let that happen.”

“Somehow I don’t think Peeta Mellark would ever reject his son. I still don’t understand what happened years ago when you first tried to talk to him…”

“Prim, we will talk about this later,” Katniss said as Jack came running to her again.

“Mommy,” as soon as Peeta heard that his head shot up and looked in their direction. He watches them interact as the young man dragged Katniss across the room to where Madge is setting up to let her son open presents. “Daniel is opening his presents. Come and watch and then Auntie Madge said we can eat the Spiderman cake. Come on mama!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at what the Easter Bunny brought for you today ;)
> 
> I know that Peeta's reaction might be what you were expecting and it might not. the hubs actually helped me a lot on this chapter. I think I drove him a little crazy when I kept on asking him if this or that is how a guy would react to this situation. So thank you hubs!! and also a big thank you to nonnie_mouse and to jane for reading and sohypotheically for being so encouraging.


	4. Chapter 4

It is around 3:00 when they arrive home. Jack is so tired that he goes straight up to his room. After about 10 minutes of waiting for him to come back down stairs, Katniss goes upstairs to check on him and there she finds him sound asleep in his reading corner surrounded by all of his stuffed animals and pillows. She walks over to pull his blanket from the bed and covers him up with it. 

Jack’s reading area is inside of a canopy they made last year. The fabric covering it is a rich maroon that she had gotten from one of her suppliers at her store. Then she had gotten PVC pipe and fit them together in a square tent like shape. This is his favorite part of the room. Its here he keeps his pictures that he draws. He has taped some of them to the wall, others he has put into his desk. There is a secret place in the desk that her father had showed her when she was little. In it she had put her secret things that she had when she was little, now it was Jack’s turn. She watches him while he sleeps. She remembers bringing him home from the hospital. He was so tiny, but not really for he was 9 lbs. when he was born. But he was tiny to her, and she had been afraid to put him down. It was only until recently that Jack started sleeping in his bed and not in hers. He still looks like the baby she had brought home and it’s amazing her how much he has grown up too. 

Sitting beside him on one of his pillows, she runs her fingers through his curls, the ones that she loves to play with and thanks God for giving him to her. This little boy is her heart. Seeing Peeta today at Gale’s upset her because he was unexpected. But it is good to see him; she just doesn’t want to admit it. Katniss is also shocked at how burned out he looks. The last time she saw Graham he didn’t say anything about Peeta but then again, he hasn’t seen him since almost a year ago. If she knows Peeta at all, he isn’t going to come out and say anything like that either. Once upon a time he would have told her something like that, but not now. And now he is coming over this evening to meet Jack. Not wanting to think about what might happen after while; she scoots down beside Jack and closes her eyes for just a minute too. 

@@@@@@@

Graham Mellark is working the counter at the bakery when he sees Bram’s truck pull around to the back parking lot. He remembers that Bram had said that they couldn’t stay long at the party because Tyler has swimming practice after while. Just when he is starting to wonder where Peeta is, he hears the bell chime for the back door. A small smile comes to his lips as he continues bagging Mrs. Norton and Mrs. Banks orders of bread for their family dinner that happens after church. Bidding the ladies goodbye and that he will see them on Tuesday; he turns to walk into the kitchen. 

Graham stands in the doorway watching Peeta pace around the ovens like he did when he was little and something was bothering him. His hair is even standing up from where he is running his fingers through it and pulling on it. By looking at him, he can guess what happened. “How was the party?”

“Dad, when was the last time you saw Katniss Everdeen?” even though Peeta is a man now, he can hear the scared little boy who would come to him for comfort when there was a storm. 

“I see her every once in a while at the grocer, and here and there. But that’s about it. She opened up a new outfitter store for the tourist. Why are you asking?” he says carefully.  
“Dad do you ever see her with a little boy?” Graham can see the disappointment on Peeta’s face when he asks that question instead of the question he really wants to ask.

How he has prayed for this day to come. He also knows that he has to choose his words carefully. “Yes in fact I have. You know how people gossip in this town. I never paid it any attention. Now your mother on the other hand…”

Peeta interrupts, “What does mother have to do with this?” 

“Son it was a long time ago….”

 

“Just tell me what happened. And why in the hell am I just now hearing about any of this?”

“After you graduated from District, after you had already left for Atlanta. Your mother said she came to us wanting to get in touch with you because she needed to talk to you. That was after you had broken up; remember you had changed your phone and email? Well your mother took that as a sign that you didn’t want to see Katniss again. So she told Katniss that you didn’t want to see her and to not ever come back. And she didn’t. But I’ve seen her in town and out and about. That’s her son.”

“Why has no one ever told me any of this?” Peeta shouts almost in tears. “Dad have you not seen the boy?”

Reaching out to grab Peeta, he holds his arms and looks into his eyes, takes a deep breath and says, “I have. I know how you feel about Katniss. And yes I have seen the boy. He looks like you did when you were 4.” 

Letting his dad pull him into a hug and letting him comfort him, Peeta whispers to him, “Well I’m going over there tonight to talk to them hopefully I can get some of this figured out.”

 

7:00 pm

Katniss stands at the sink washing the supper dishes. Her Superman comes zooming through the kitchen making the loop as she called it. If you walk, or run as Jack does, through the kitchen, into the living room and then into the dining room it leads into the kitchen again. This is what jack does when he is fighting sleep. As Katniss put the last dish into the dish washer, she turns and catches her Superman. Jack gives her a halfhearted protest and a giggle. She kisses his forehead, “It’s time for Superman’s bath.”

“But mommy, I’m not tired,” he said as he yawns.

“Yes you are. Besides someone is coming at 8, and I need for you to be done by then. And remember, you are going back to Daniel’s house to spend the night.”

“I know mommy! You told me after I woke up from nap. Who is coming mommy?”

“Oh just one of my old friends from school.”

“Is it Finn and Ms.Annie?” he asked hopefully.

“No. Come on. Let’s hurry. Up the stairs you go!”

She lets him play in the tub for just a minute or two, and then she helps him wash and dry off. By the time he has his favorite pair of Superman pj's and of course his cape on she hears the doorbell ring. Jack perks up at this point. “They are here mommy!” and takes off running down the stairs. 

“Don’t you dare open that door until I get there young man!” 

When she gets to the bottom of the stairs she sees Jack waiting there. At least for once he decides to listen to her. 

She ruffles his still damp hair while she walks to the door. She looks back at her son, and takes a deep breath and opens the door…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now what?!?!
> 
> I just wanted to thank everyone for taking a minute to read and to leave kudos! it means a lot! I need to thank the hubs for letting me ask him over and over how a guy would really act, and if I was getting it right and if it made sense. also to sohypothetically for being amazing and letting me bug her too. thank you dear!! and to nonnie and to jane for reading too.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here is the chapter that hopefully will start to answer everyone's questions. I know that it's going to open up even more. I can promise you, there will be more back story. I will not leave you hanging because if I did there are a couple of people who would come after me. I have also been asked about this Kantiss. she is near and dear to me for the simple reason she is made up of several ladies who I love. Some would call them stand-offish, but to me they are my friends and family. They all have one thing in common. They start off as friends, then when they love you, you are family. But then if you betray that trust, they are "done with you" and they will tell you that too. Some of you may call that extreme, but not for these ladies. That is how many of them survive. I hope this little note will give you more insight. If you think back to the book Katniss is very stubborn. I know there were plenty of times I wanted to shake her, but she also loved fiercely. She volunteered for Prim when she was reaped, she wanted to protect the hawthorns no matter the cost, and she wanted to die so Peeta could live. I just hope my Katniss comes across this way when it comes to Jack. She is a mama bear in that she will do anything to protect her young including keeping them from their father if she thinks he might hurt them. So thank you again for reading... it is a much longer chapter this time!!
> 
> And a thank you to the usual suspects... sohypotheically you rock my dear!! Thank you so much for everything. I know that you don't have to do this, but I'm so glad that you do. janeeyre and nonnie, for reading.

It all starts on the first day of kindergarten. He isn’t nervous; Bram and Rye talk so much about school he is excited to go. Besides it gets him away from mother. He will miss spending the time in the bakery with Daddy. His daddy is his favorite person in his whole wide world. 

As they approach the school, his brothers walk ahead into the school to their classes. Also up ahead, Peeta can see a little girl wearing a red, plaid dress holding her mommy’s hand. She has two braids and is skipping beside her mommy. Her mommy is also holding a baby on her hip. The baby looks back at them and gives a chuckle and a toothy grin with baby drool landing on her mama’s shoulder. He feels daddy pull back on his hand and bend down to his level. “Peeta, see the woman in front of us?” After Peeta nods, “I almost married her. When I was getting ready to ask her, she broke up with me and married Jack Everdeen instead.” 

“But Daddy, who wouldn’t want to be married to you?” his Daddy is so kind, the center of his little heart, who sneaks cookies to his boys and a mother who leaves bruises when she hits you. After that she would she would disappear for the rest of the day. 

Graham chuckles. “It’s alright son. What has happened is in the past. I’ve gotten the best part of any deal when I got you and your brothers. And that’s all I ever needed.” Somehow, though he doesn’t understand his father’s words completely, they bring a peace to him that will be a balm to his heart In the tough times.

They walk behind the Everdeen's into the school. They turn to go to the kindergarten part of the school when Mrs.Everdeen turns she sees Graham and Peeta following them into the classroom. “Hello Graham.” Looking down at Peeta, she says, “You must be Peeta.”

Peeta’s eyes get big. He didn’t expect her to talk to him too. He sticks out his little hand like his daddy does when he met new customers in the bakery. “Yes ma’am.” he says as he shakes her hand. She then turns to the girl in the plaid dress and says, “Katniss come meet Peeta.”

When Katniss turns around, he is awed by the silver of her eyes. And he thinks that he has never seen anyone as pretty as her before. “I’m Katniss.” When he hears her say her name he knows in that moment that he is lost for forever. 

It is later in their little music class when the teacher asks if anyone knows the valley song and her little hand goes straight up. when she sings, it is then he gives her the rest of the his heart.

@@@@@@@

It is a bad season for many of them in their small town that winter. The winds blow too hard for that town that wasn’t used to it ever being that cold, so there were a lot of power outages. Jack Everdeen works as a lineman for Duke Power. He is on call that night when the town’s main transformer blows up at three a.m. He kisses his wife, who wakes up to pour his coffee into his thermos. Then he kisses Katniss who is eleven and kisses Prim who is seven. Unfortunately for the Everdeen family that night, Jack climbs to the top of the power pole to reattach the line and is knocked off. The coroner said he was dead before he hit the ground. 

Jack’s old hunting buddy, Haymitch and his other best friend, Cole Hawthorne step in to help Lily. When the power company settles with the lawyer Haymitch hired, there is a monthly check coming in, and a college fund for the girls. That still didn’t help Lily’s deep depression. Thankfully, Haymitch is there once again to help. He has Lily checked into a clinic that specializes in that type of depression, with Duke Power paying that bill. He moves in with the girls and with Hazette’s help, keeps what is left of the Everdeen household running until Lily comes home. 

Peeta talks to Katniss more and more in his own way of helping her. He sits beside her at lunch so he can share his cookies and cheese buns with her. It’s during this time when they become best friends. She shines as radiant as the sun to him and he is her rock, her new hope that things will be ok again, That somehow Mama will be back and grumpy Haymitch will go back home. 

@@@@@

As in small towns, you are more often than not in the same classes with the same people for the thirteen years you attend school. So by the time you graduate, you either love those people, or you can’t wait to get away from them. As for Katniss and Peeta’s little group of friends, they are a tight bunch. So when it is time for prom and for them to start to go their separate ways, Peeta just knows that if nothing else, he wants to take Katniss to prom. By this time that she is more comfortable in the woods than in a gown. She has won the state archery contests now for three years in a row. He is shocked when he asks her and she agrees. After the fancy dinner at the fancy restaurant in the next town, for their little town has Sae’s diner and that was it besides the fast food restaurants that are in every town. And then after the dance in the school’s gymnasium they find themselves down by the river, sitting on a blanket that his father told him to keep in his truck for emergencies, looking at the stars and listening to the river babble at them as they talk about going to college, yes they would be going to the same school, the local state university in their little town. Their plans for the future, he is going to major in art and see where that took him even though he really wants to run the bakery but Bram’s decided that he wants it after all. She still isn’t sure what she is going to do. She has heard once, “Do what you love and then figure out how to get paid for it.” Well what she loves is her woods, her trees. Now if she could stay in them all day and make a living, well that would be just fine with her. She talks about the memories she has of her dad talking about opening a store and offering camping trips to the tourists, but isn’t sure how to start that dream. Before they know it, they have both drifted off to sleep by that river bank. His little boy dreams of finally being able to hold her come true as they snuggle together while the dew falls. 

They wake up before dawn shivering as soon as they separate since they don’t have the warmth from one another. they run to the truck Already missing each other though neither would admit it. After celebrating their graduation and then enjoying the summer break, they find themselves hanging out more and more. In their little town, there are only so many things the kids can do. One of those is to meet in town and sit and talk. Gale would come by, especially if he knew Madge was going to be with Katniss. Peeta would stop, especially if he knew that Katniss was going to be there. Finn and Johanna and Annie would stop when they would see everyone else. Peeta’s brothers would even be seen with the group on occasion. 

They would have fun on these evenings. Sometimes the group would end up at Finn’s. His father, since he is the town pool man, he had the biggest house and the biggest pool. So it becomes a tradition that if you are not working you would be in the Odair’s pool by one. Since it is the hottest summer in years, everyone is in the pool. Even Prim tags along and quickly became everyone’s favorite baby sister. 

As fall approaches everyone gets ready for the next stage in life. Katniss and Peeta are just going to District University, that way he could still work at the bakery and she could save money by living at home. Madge is going to District too since she isn’t ready to leave home. Gale has been out of school for a couple of years and has just finished with his criminal justice degree. He has applied for several job openings at the police department and is waiting for an interview but meanwhile is also working at the body shop his dad owns. Finn is, of course, already working for his dad in the pool business and Annie is going to District too for her degree in teaching. Johanna is getting ready to go back to State so she can start graduate school. 

Katniss and Peeta continue their easy friendship through college. Katniss even thinks of him as her best friend. After all, it is always Peeta who meets her at the library so they can study together. It is Peeta who holds her when Thom breaks up with her. She is there for him when Lavinia dumps him (well not really dumps him. she found out about his love for a Miss. Everdeen and she isn’t going to stand in between him and his one true love. He doesn’t tell Katniss this part. He enjoys the pity she gives him for the heartbreak she thinks he went through.) before finals sophomore year. But it’s junior year when everything begins to change. He switches majors to more of an art/business degree and Katniss is still majoring in business, so they have a lot more classes together. But it’s at the Undersee’s annual Christmas party that Madge invites her friends to when Katniss and Peeta find themselves under the mistletoe. It’s there in a door way where they have their first kiss. For Peeta it’s the most wonderful of Christmas presents, for Katniss it stirs up feelings that she has been trying to ignore. 

They exchange presents later that evening. Peeta gives her his grandmother’s pearl necklace, the one that his grandpa gave to her when they married. Katniss is surprised for she knows how much it means to him because it’s the only thing he inherited when she died. She gives him a new set of brushes and paints that he has been wanting. She figures that he needs them to remember his passion while studying business. As they walk home that night, Katniss shyly holds his hand and his heart soars. His heart is still soaring from the kiss they shared earlier. When they get to her door, this time she grabs his coat and presses her lips to his. 

Peeta dares to hope that she is starting to feel something for him. After her kiss leaves him breathless, he rests his forehead against hers and says, “Are we still on for the movies tomorrow?” the next day is Christmas and they have a tradition where after they spend the day with their families, they meet and go to the movies.

They go to the movies, but it isn’t until New Year’s, when they are at Madge’s New Year’s party and share a bottle of Grey Goose that they find themselves in the place that both of them have dreamed about for years. Everyone else is passed out or has already gone home, when they share Madge’s guest bedroom. At first they are just going to sleep. Peeta kisses her goodnight, and gathers her in his arms content just to hold her. It’s Katniss who pulls him back to her. Sloppy wet kisses, then hands are everywhere. Katniss feels like she is in one of her dreams. And if she is, she doesn’t want it to ever stop. Soon their clothes are on the floor and he is on top of her asking if this is alright. She is never one for a lot of words so her answer is more kisses as she pulls him into her. Afterwards Peeta can’t stop kissing her as he tells her how much he loves her and how he has always loved her, and, if she would let him, he will spend the rest of his life showing her. Katniss is speechless after she listens to him, she answers by her wrapping her body around him and shyly tells him of her love for him. 

After that, the rest of their junior year is spent in a daze. They still manage to pass their courses and even make dean’s list. Once the summer comes, Peeta starts talking more and more about when school is finished. Katniss starts to make extra money by offering hiking tours. By the end of July, she has a waiting list of groups wanting her help.  
That summer is also the summer that Gale and Madge get married. No longer content to wait till Madge is finished with college, they wake up their friends up on Friday morning with plans to go to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to elope. So Katniss borrows one of Prim’s dresses, Peeta changes into his khaki’s, and they drive to Tennessee. Watching the simple ceremony Katniss and Peeta both can’t help themselves when their thoughts go to their own possible wedding.

Their senior year starts. Since they are both business majors they have almost all their classes together. That first semester is about perfect. They both still live at home, but Lily works the night shift at the hospital now. So it’s usually her and Prim alone at night in their house, so Peeta starts spending the night more and more. By this time Katniss is 23 and so is Peeta, Mrs.Everdeen doesn’t say too much to them since she knows they are trying to save money still. As Christmas approaches, Peeta takes Finn with him to go ring shopping. It is Annie who on December 23 accidently lets it slip that Finn went to the jeweler’s with Peeta. All Katniss can do is smile for she knows in her heart that he is the one she is meant to be with. Surprising herself, she is very happy about that. 

So on Christmas day after eating lunch with her mother, Katniss, Peeta and Prim all go to the Mellark’s for dinner. Katniss is wondering when Peeta is going to ask her the question. After Rue comes to pick up Prim, Peeta says that there is somewhere they have to be. They get in his truck and drive out to the riverbank where they had spent their prom night. It is there on a blanket of fresh snow, and candles everywhere, Peeta drops onto one knee and tells her once again how much he loves her. After she cries and hugs him, she agrees to be the new Mrs. Mellark. Then they make their way back to her house, because it’s empty for Prim is gone to Rue's to spend the night and Mrs. Everdeen is working. 

As spring blooms all around them, Katniss can feel herself falling more and more in love. They study for their finals for the last time, they talking about wedding plans and business plans. Katniss is still giving hiking tours in her woods. And Peeta is certain he could make an advertising degree work in their small town or even get his teaching certificate and take a teaching job in the next town over. It happens right after Easter that year. Even though Katniss is on the pill, they make Jack. 

Katniss doesn’t at first realize that she is pregnant. She thinks at first she has the flu. Then she doesn’t think it was a missed period because she still spotted. But it is right after that everything changes. They break up. She still isn’t exactly sure what happens, but there is a new girl in one of his art classes and a group of them are studying one evening for an art exam and he never comes over after that like he was going to. That doesn’t bother Katniss. Well it does a little bit. But other than that he is still in her bed every night. But then in the next two weeks that Glimmer bitch walks up to Peeta in the commons area and tells Peeta that she is pregnant and it’s his… Katniss turns and walks away from him. Even by the time he catches up with her, rebellious tears that won’t listen to her are falling down her face. So she just shakes her head at him, and gets into her car and drives off. Its later that night when he comes over with tears in his own eyes, she wordlessly walks to her bedroom. At first he seems relieved that she is going to talk to him until she hands him all of his stuff he has left over there. She even gives him the pearl necklace back and her engagement ring. She then turns and walks to her front door. He can’t help but to follow her as his heart sinks when he realizes that she isn’t going to say anything at all to him. When he steps through the doorway and turns to face her, with tears running down her face, she just simply shakes her head at him and shuts the door. 

It isn’t until the next month that she realizes that she doesn’t have the flu. But in fact she is pregnant as she watches the test turn to positive. Don’t panic, don’t panic she tells herself as she can feel the anxiety shutting off her airway so she can’t breathe. When she calls her OB to make a pregnant mom appointment she decides to give Peeta one chance to be a father. She knows that he wants kids, a house full he would always promise her when they were talking about the future. 

About this time it is getting close to graduation and she hasn’t spoken to Peeta in over a month. She sees him in the classes they have together a couple of times, but since she has been dealing with a bad case of morning sickness, her OB wrote her a note so she could miss her final classes when she needs to. This is a blessing in disguise because she doesn’t have to see Peeta. Madge comes over one day to see how she is feeling. Deciding to finally tell someone besides Prim, Katniss tells her everything that has happened. Including that she is pregnant. Madge throws her arms around her in a hug and tells her that she won’t be going through it alone, that she is pregnant too.

Katniss is actually still too sick to even think about walking at graduation. Besides, she still isn’t sure how she feels about Peeta right now. She still loves him and she probably always will. She wants her baby to know its daddy. But she also isn’t going to deal with another baby mama.

One day when she is feeling particularly down, she decides to call him. When it goes straight to the recording that the number is no longer in service, she thinks, ‘when he change his number? He’s had the same number for years why would he change it now?’ It is with a sinking heart that she realizes that it is because of her. That explains the sent emails that were never answered.

She almost doesn’t go to the bakery that day but she promises herself that she would try one more time to give her baby the father it deserves. It’s his mother who is working that day and when she sees her behind the counter she should have turned around and left. She knows that his mother has never liked her and the handful of times she has been to their house; she would give her those looks and make snarky comments towards Katniss. So Prim who thankfully goes with her, grabs her sister’s hand and leads her right up to the counter where Mrs. Mellark stands waiting for them like a vulture who wants to gobble them up like the trash she thinks they are. 

“Is Peeta here Mrs. Mellark?” says Katniss with false bravery.

“No he’s not and why would he want to see you?” snarls Mrs. Mellark.

Prim gives her a squeeze and speaks up bravely, “Katniss needs to speak to him. Could you please tell Peeta to call her?” she says in a moment of bravery that gives Katniss a peek into the young woman she is becoming. It is this bravery that will hold Katniss together while being a single parent in the coming years. 

Mrs. Mellark sarcastically says, “Sure. I’ll tell him to call you.” Unknown to Katniss Peeta had ‘lost his cell’ but really Mrs. Mellark smashed it with a hammer then presented her son with a new cell with a new number the next day. She has never liked Katniss and knows what Peeta did which resulted in the break up. She is going to use this opportunity to get Katniss once and for all out of Peeta's life. He has gotten the internship at the firm in Atlanta and she knows that if he talks to Katniss, he will never leave. She just didn’t spend all of their savings to send him to college for him to waste it in this backwards town.

She never tells Peeta that Katniss came by. His heart is broken. He still can’t believe what he did to Katniss. She is all he ever wanted and hoped for and he screwed it up. She deserves so much better than him. He just hopes that one day she can find it. 

Graduation day comes. He looks and looks for her in the class and he never finds her. He does see Madge and walks up to her. “Hey Madge. Where’s Katniss?”  
“Ohhh Peeta. She decided not to walk. She went and picked up her diploma yesterday.”

His heart falls. He was hoping for just one more chance to see her before he leaves for Atlanta in a week. Glimmer had told him that she wasn’t pregnant and is going to California to move in with her aunt. He just wanted one chance to tell her that he is sorry and that he loves her. So he tells Madge, “Well I’m moving to Atlanta next week. Tell Katniss that I love her and that I’m sorry for everything.”

Madge’s heart goes out to him. “When are you leaving?”

“Next Monday I think. I’m supposed to start work the next week.”

“You need to talk to Katniss before you leave. You really do need to try.”

Peeta nods. “I’ll try Madge. She probably hates me. I don’t want to talk to me either."

“Just promise me that you will try. Please Peeta.” by now Gale finds them. He gives Peeta a look that he doesn’t understand. He just doesn’t realize that Madge has to hold Gale back from going after Peeta right there. All Gale understands is that his best friend is hurting and it is because of this prick in front of him.

Peeta walks away from them as Gale leans down to say, “What did he want?” 

~~  
Peeta never does make to Katniss’s house. His family keeps him busy with packing his room and moving him to Atlanta. He does leave a note on her door after he goes by one afternoon to find her house empty. In fact Katniss and Prim and Madge are at the OB's finding out that Jack is a boy and not the girl that Prim wants. When Katniss makes it back home that day, and finds his note,

Katniss,

I’m so sorry for the pain and heartbreak that I have caused you. I still don’t know why I did what I did. I ruined us. I broke us. And I broke you and for that, I will be sorry for the rest of my life. I have thrown away the best thing that has ever happened to me. You don’t deserve me. I hope that you can build your business like you want to and that you will have everything that you ever want and need in this lifetime. I’m just sorry that I won’t be there to watch you achieve your dreams. I love you. And I always will. But I don’t know how to fix this. I don’t even know if I can. 

I’m leaving town. I have accepted an internship in Atlanta. It’s for an advertising firm there. If you ever need me, if you ever need me, my parents know where to find me.

I love you,

Peeta

So Katniss after reading the letter, goes in, and collapses on her bed and cries. She cries for the boy who will never know his father, she cries for the father who will never know his son and most of all she cries for her broken heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you dear reader!! I hope this chapter answers the questions that you have. 
> 
> and I have to thank sohypothetically for taking the time to read, the hubs for being so encouraging and jojo for helping me scheme and nonnie and jane for reading. I don't own anything ... this is for fun... and this is a modern a/u

With her hand on the knob and another look back to Jack who is watching her from the bottom step, she opens the door. Peeta stands there with his hair sticking straight up just like it used to when he would run his fingers through it when he was nervous. Glancing to his eyes and quickly looking away, she motions for him to come in. 

She sees Peeta turn his head towards Jack and then turn to look at her. Stepping around him to stand in between him and Jack, she bites her lip, takes a deep breath, and says, “Peeta this is my son Jack. “She looks from Peeta to Jack. Keeping her eyes on the boy, she says, “Jack, this is my old friend, Peeta.” 

“So are we friends after all?” he says behind her low enough so Jack can’t hear.

She narrows her eyes when she turns to look at him. “Yes Peeta. It’s you who didn’t keep in touch with me.”

Instead of saying something back, Peeta turns to observe Jack. She wonders what he is thinking as he looks at him. Does he notice the wavy, light blonde hair and how it curls just like his? Does he notice Jack’s nose and how the slight bump is the same as his? Does he notice the shape of his eyes and how, except for the color, they are just like his? 

Clearing his throat, Peeta says, “Hello there Jack. I like your cape.” 

Jack smiles and plays with the edge of his cape. 

Peeta turns and hands her a white, paper bag with Mellark’s Bakery on it. “I brought you some cheese buns and cookies that Dad said Jack might like.”

Katniss takes the bag with a soft, “Thank you.” and walks to the kitchen island. She makes her way over to the couch and motions for Peeta and Jack to join her. 

Peeta sits beside them as she looks up to meet his eyes. She is surprised when his eyes narrow at them as if he is trying to figure something out. About then she is relieved when there is a knocking at her front door. 

Giving Jack a gentle push so he can go answer it, she quickly crosses the room in time to greet Gale. “Jack, why don’t you run and get your bag so you can go with Uncle Gale.” Jack giggles with excitement and quickly runs up stairs to his room.

Gale gives her one of his ‘we need to talk’ looks. Reaching out his hand to Peeta, “Thanks for coming to Daniel’s party today. How long are you in town for?”

“I’m going back to Atlanta tomorrow. I suppose you have been helping Katniss all this time with Jack?”

Katniss cuts her eyes at Peeta as Peeta smirks at the both of them and Gale looks like he is trying to figure out how to take what Peeta just said. “Peeta,” Gale says with his ‘cop voice’, “I don’t know what you are thinking, but whatever it is, that isn’t what is happening.”

Jack runs back into the room and heads straight to Gale and wraps himself around his legs in a bear hug. Gale picks him up and rewards him with a big hug back.   
“Uncle Gale, who is that man?” Jack whispers. But as 4 year olds whisper, everyone hears them.

“Someone who your mommy needs to talk to. Let’s go see what Daniel is doing ok? He wants to play with you with all of his presents he got today. Kiss Mommy and let’s go.” Jack gives Katniss a big hug and gives Peeta a look. Katniss looks at Gale and mouths, “Thank you.” as they walk out the door. She reaches up and grabs the end of her braid. As she slowly turns to Peeta more nervous that she has been in years. What she sees when she looks in his eyes surprises her. There is only one other time she has seen him this angry and that was the one Christmas when his mother was being particularly nasty to her and to Rye’s girlfriend.

“How old is he?” he says through gritted teeth.

“His birthday is January 9. He’ll be 5 this January.” She crosses the room nervously to put some distance between them to sit in her rocking chair by the window. 

“Is he mine?” he asks, making her feel like one of the rabbits she likes to hunt in the fall. 

Katniss looks everywhere but at him as she tries to calm her out-of-control heart, “Yes. We conceived him around Easter of our senior year.”

“Why didn’t you tell me, Katniss?” his voice breaks with anger or pain.

She turns to look at him then and she sees anger but also a longing and a sadness that she knows too well. With a steady voice, “I tried. I called; it said that your number was no longer in service. I went by the bakery…”

He cries, “Dad mentioned for the first time today that you came by.”

“Your Mom was there. She said that she would tell you to call me. But you never did.” She can feel herself going from nervous and scared to angry the more he talks. 

“I never got that message. I thought after what happened you wouldn’t ever want to see me again. Mother never said you came by. Is he why you wasn’t at graduation?"

“Yes. I didn’t walk because I had really bad morning sickness and literally couldn’t get out of the bed. Besides after not being able to get in touch with you, I didn’t want to see you. I was trying to get over you and to take care of Jack.”

“I can’t believe it. I have a son.” Peeta says with disbelief and anger in his voice.

Peeta…

When Peeta Mellark thinks about Katniss Everdeen, there are several images that go through his mind. Playing tag with her on the playground, watching her walk home with her sister after school, watching the sway of her hips in jeans as she made her way down the hall of their high school, finally getting to kiss her for the first time, making love to her in her bedroom, asking her to marry him. But the one image that hurts, the one image that kills him a little more each and every day is Katniss giving him back the ring that he had promised her forever with.

Standing in her living room now, after all these years, watching that little boy being carried away by Gale Hawthorne of all people, everything that he has worked so hard for the past four years comes crashing down, and it comes crashing down hard. He has to get some space so he walks over to the big picture window that overlooks her back yard. Looking out but not really seeing anything, as the shadows of the evening go across the yard, he takes some deep breaths to try to calm down his racing heart.   
“Katniss,” he chokes out, “Help me to understand. Please.”

Taking a deep breath she says with increasing agitation, “What is there to understand Peeta? We were engaged, you fucked around, got me pregnant while you were at it, we broke up, and then you left. When I tried to tell you, you couldn’t even come to see what I needed before you left. I thought you didn’t love me anymore. And I wasn’t going to let my child grow up thinking that his daddy didn’t want him.”

“How could I have even tried if I never knew about him? You didn’t try hard enough to tell me. I thought you didn’t want me. And then I come here and my son acts like he belongs to Gale Hawthorne of all people! I thought Gale was with Madge!” 

“He is with Madge you asshat! You come in here acting all high and mighty,” she steps closer to him as she points her finger at him, “You can’t come into my house and talk to me that way. I thought we were going to talk about Jack, not your hurt pride and other bullshit like that. If you can’t act like a gentleman then get out. If you can calm your happy ass down, then maybe we can talk for a damn minute.” Katniss takes a deep breath before she continues, “What is it going to be?”

Peeta takes another deep breath to calm down. It’s in that moment he realizes how beautiful she has become. Fighting the anger and the want that overtakes him so fiercely, he tries to focus on what she is saying instead of how she looks. He growls in response to how she is making him feel and says, “I apologize. Let’s talk like normal people then. I had enough screaming from mother over the years that I really don’t need it from you.”

Crossing her arms in front of her, she huffs, “Let’s talk then.”

He knows that he needs to calm himself down even though he wants to beat someone up, beg Katniss on hands and knees to give him a second chance, and sit in a corner and cry over everything he has missed in his life all at the same time, he says, “Katniss something as big as a baby; why didn’t you try harder to tell me? I would have done everything to help you so you wouldn’t have to do it alone. If only I would have known…”

Interrupting him with anger in her eyes, “You would have what Peeta? You would have saved us? We would have been a family? You don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know!! You don’t know what it’s like to have the town gossips talk about you wondering who your baby’s daddy is. You don’t know what it was like to have to be in the hospital for a week because you couldn’t eat or even drink, the whole time thinking you are going to lose your baby. You don’t know what it’s like to be a single parent. You don’t know what it’s like to try to explain why other kids have their daddies but he doesn’t have one. You don’t know what it was like when he was just a baby and I couldn’t find anyone to watch him so I could work. I had to put him literally on my back so I could work because I didn’t want to have to go reapply for food stamps or WIC. Yes Peeta, Jackson Peeta Everdeen is your son. But more than that, he is mine. And you will not take him away from me.” 

“I’m not here to take him away from you. Damn it Katniss! I just learned that I had him.” 

“Do you think you can just walk in here and we become a happy little family? You were gone. Do you know how scared I was? I had to go through 38 weeks of pregnancy with only Madge and Prim helping me. I was in the grocery store when my water broke. I was alone; Prim was in school and Mom lived in Charlotte then. Can you imagine how afraid I was? If it hadn’t been for Graham…”

“My Dad?” He wonders what his Dad has to do with this. 

“Yes Peeta, your dad. I ran into him at the store, and while we were chatting, my water broke. He is the one who took me to the hospital.”

His thoughts race as this information sinks in. His father knew? For 4 years, his father knew about Jack, but didn’t say anything? “What do you mean Dad was there? Why did he never tell me about any of this?” 

“He didn’t tell you because I asked him not to. All I knew was that you cheated, Glimmer was going to have your baby too, and then you left town. I left you a message to come by. I wasn’t ready for you to know. I’m still not sure if I’m ready for you to know.”

Peeta looks at the playhouse that he can make out in the shadows the sinking sun casts across the yard. Taking a deep breath, he tries to gather his thoughts. What he wants more than anything is to turn back the clock. Oh, what he wouldn’t give for the chance to go back to that night that ruined everything. But since he can’t, he needs to figure this out now, before he really does lose everything. “Well I do know. And I’m not going to take him away from you. But I would like to get to know him. He seems like an awesome little man. Can I do that? Will you let me?” 

Walking over to join him at the window she follows his gaze, “That’s his clubhouse. Gale and Rory helped me put it together for his birthday this year. It was so cold that day, but he was so excited. Once we got it together, I had to take a heater out there so he and Daniel could play.” She is quiet for a moment and he starts to ask her something when she says quietly, “He asks about you. All he has ever wanted is to meet his daddy.” He can hear the catch in her breath like she was trying not to cry. She starts to turn away, but he catches her arm first. 

“Please let me be a part of his life." Putting a finger under her chin, he lifts her head till he can meet her eyes. “I know I have hurt the both of you. But I am here now.” He moves her bangs out of the way and tucks the end behind her ear. “I can apologize for the rest of my life; I’ll never be able to make it up to the both of you. I don’t know if it matters now, but I never cheated on you.”

She gasps and she takes a step back. “What do you mean you never cheated? That bitch said…”

He interrupts, “She told me a week before graduation that she wasn’t pregnant. I ran into her at a convention for work. She asked me to get a drink, and I didn’t want anything else to do with her, but she insisted. So I went. She told me everything…” 

“Wait a minute! You were drunk that night? I thought you were studying for that art final or whatever…”

“We were. Then a couple of the guys mentioned that they were having some kind of drink special at the bar for seniors so we decided to go. Then Marvel and Luke started doing jagerbombs so I did too. I don’t remember leaving the bar.”

“How many jager’s did you have?”

“I had at least 6, I’m sure there were more though. Not to mention the tequila shots that we started off with.”

She turns away to look back out the window. He wants to touch her; even raises his hand to touch her arm. Instead he drops it back to his side. “The next morning I woke up in just my underwear in her dorm room. She told me at that convention that we never did anything. I barely made it to her room and then I was looking for my phone to call you and then I puked and passed out. I woke up the next morning, got dressed, and went to my house. I couldn’t tell you…”

Katniss turns in his direction, he can see that she is studying his face for something, he just isn’t sure what when she says, “You never cheated on us?” she asks with disbelief. “What in the hell were you doing drinking jager and tequila anyway? After that time drinking it with Finn…”

This time he does give in to the urge to touch her. He gently reaches for her upper arms and gives her a gentle squeeze, not at all surprised at the muscle he feels there. “I never cheated on you. I never cheated on us. In fact Glimmer did say at the convention all I did was look for you. She said that she would call you if I would just rest for a minute and that is when I passed out. I didn’t tell you then because I didn’t know that I didn’t have sex with her. I know that I broke us.” He is surprised at the tears that come to his eyes, “I have thought about that and you every day since. I shouldn’t have gone to that bar.”

Katniss pulls away from him and walks to her freezer. He watches as she pulls out a fifth of Jim Beam and takes a big sip straight from the bottle. She tilts the bottle neck in his direction and he shakes his head. She takes another sip and places the bottle back in the freezer. Clearing her throat she says to him, “Ok. Start over and tell me that from the beginning. You saw Glimmer two years ago and she said what to you?”

“I had to go to a convention in Las Vegas for the firm about two years ago. I knew she was going to be there; Plutarch, my boss, had given me a list of the attendees who were representing their firms and I saw her name. I thought I could avoid her. After the first evening of meetings, I went to dinner with some of my co-workers and saw her. She came over and asked if she could talk to me when I was finished.” He glances at Katniss’s face and is not surprised when he sees her watching with narrowed eyes. He continues, “We met at the bar. After we ordered drinks, she told me that she had just found out that she had breast cancer and the doctors thought they could get it all, so she postponed her surgery and came to the convention specifically because she knew I was going to be there, and wanted to make things right. She knew that you and I were together and that we were going to get married after graduation. Well the couple of times she and I talked in class, she began to think that I could do so much better and wanted to break us up. She said she didn’t really have a reason. Life was like a game to her and she was seeing who she could manipulate. It was her idea that night to go to the bar. She actually talked the bartender into making my jagerbombs stronger so I would pass out. After she got me to her dorm room, she could barely get my clothes off because I was out cold.”

Katniss retrieves the Jim Beam. This time she takes an even longer sip and just leaves it on the counter. Not even looking at Peeta this time, she asks, “So nothing happened?”

“The way she described it to me, is I was out cold. I couldn’t have had sex with her if I had wanted to. I woke up the next morning at six and went home. I didn’t know how to tell you, not when I wasn’t sure what happened. I was so confused during that time. And it just felt like I was going to lose you and instead of telling you everything, I got scared. And then Mother kept on and on about what I was going to do after graduation, and how I couldn’t waste the money she had just spent on college so I needed to look for a job. I honestly didn’t know what to do. I know you will probably never forgive me. I haven’t forgiven myself for fucking up so bad.” Stopping for a moment to gather his thoughts, he sees where Katniss has a shot glass beside the window over the sink. he reaches for it, and pours himself a shot. Drinking it quick, he enjoys the burn. “I could spend the rest of my life trying to make up for how I fucked up. I think about you every day.”

She looks down at her hands as they rest on the counter. “Is that all she said?”

“Pretty much. When she was diagnosed, it made her realize how much she had messed up other people’s lives. I found out a year ago from her boss that she passed away. The cancer had spread to her lung and her bones. Her boss Mr. Crane said she ended up being in a lot of pain and was in hospice for over a month.” Peeta still couldn’t believe what has happened to Glimmer. Even after what she has done to him, he wouldn’t have wished that on anyone.

Katniss looks at him in disbelief. “You mean she’s dead?”

Peeta nods. “Damn…” Katniss whispers. “I can’t believe it.”

Feeling the Jim Beam relax her enough to know that she needs to focus on what is happening right now for Jack, instead of what happened years ago, she looks into the face that is so much like her son’s. Katniss takes a deep breath, and fighting back the tears, “I’m sorry too. I guess I should have pushed more to find you.”

Looking down again, she tries to think of what she wants to say, and words escape her. As if no time had passed, Peeta has picked up on how she feels. So he approaches her like he is trying to coax a cat down from a tree. Gently he places his hand on her arm, sliding down his hand down to gently grasp hers. “Will you sit with me and tell me about Jack?” 

Looking up to meet his eyes, she gives him a nod. Squeezing his hand she knows where she wants to take him first. “Follow me,” She whispers. She knows that once she shows Peeta Jack’s favorite place, there will be no more doubt that Jack is indeed his son. Leading him up the stairs to Jack’s room, she walks Peeta to his door and opens it. 

He looks around the room. Water gathers in his eyes, as his gaze falls on the drawings on the wall. Seeing the pillows piled up in the corner he looks to Katniss asking, “What is that over there?”

“The reading area. That is where he draws and reads. There are also some of his treasures hidden in there. I’ll let him show you those when he is ready.” 

Not wanting to disturb anything, Peeta takes a step back and runs his hand through his hair. Katniss lets out a half laugh. “He does the same thing when he’s nervous. It’s amazing how much he is like you, even though he has never met you. “

“Really? Tell me how?”

“Well, he sees everything, notices every little detail.”

Giving a laugh, Peeta says, “Do I do that?”

Katniss nods as she answers, “You do. He loves to draw too as you can see. You should see what his notebook.”

Looking at the pictures on the walls, Peeta can see that Jack’s talent will someday surpass his. He points to one of the pictures, “See that? How he is already starting to draw the shadows? I’m assuming that Annie didn’t show him that at school?” 

“No I’m sure Annie doesn’t know about shadowing.”

“That usually doesn’t happen for a while. But it seems like he is teaching himself how to draw how. Have you let him mess around with anything else?”

“He has some paints here. I’ve shown him clay and other stuff at Haymitch’s old store. You know he still carries all of the art stuff you had asked him to years ago? Jack seems interested, but I think it’s because no one has shown him how to work the clay. I was going to take a class at Southwestern this winter in pottery, so I can show him.”

Peeta’s heart swells. His own mother wouldn’t have taken a pottery class for him, although she did push him into the field that she thought would suit him. He pulls gently on her arm so she turns around, “You are a great mother Katniss. Can we go talk?”

“Yes, that sounds so nice.” Katniss sighs as they walk back down to the living room. She sits on the couch and tucks her legs under her and asks, “So tell me about Atlanta?”

“It’s Atlanta. While you were here building your business, I was building someone else’s. Congratulations on yours by the way. I saw the billboard out on 231. It looks good.” 

“Thank you. I wasn’t going to put it up, but I was in Haymitch’s about a month ago, and they were talking to him about it. He offered to pay for half if his store would be on it too. Then he called them after we decided what it was going to be and pulled his store to just the bottom corner and gave me the rest of it.” Haymitch is one of her biggest supporters. He sends clients to her all the time. “I know you said that you are in the middle of moving. What are your plans after? Are you going to start come home as much as possible? Or only a couple times a year?”

“Well honestly, I was going to get Dad to come visit me, but since I have found out about Jack, I’d like to be around more. What are you thinking?”

“Well I think I want Jack to get to know you before we tell him that you are his father. That way, we can transition him into the idea. Right now, he sees you as almost a super hero. When he has a bad day he wants his daddy. I know, why don’t you come for breakfast in the morning?”

“I’ve got to be in Atlanta Monday morning. It will take me a good 3 ½ hours to get there.” Looking at Katniss sitting across from him, he decides it’s now or never. “Yes, I would love to come for breakfast. What time would you like me to be here?”

“Jack usually wakes up at 8:30. I’ll call Madge and see if she will wake him up sooner. Do you want to be here about 8:45?”

“That sounds really nice, Katniss.” he gets up and turns, “Thank you for meeting me tonight. I’m looking forward to spending some time with you and Jack tomorrow.”

“I know Jack will be happy…”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a question about the distance of the cities from one another. I'm using real places for this, except for their hometown. Atlanta is 3 1/2 to 4 hours away from Charlotte. when peeta moves to Charlotte, he will be about a hour away from their hometown. which is close to juilan price memorial park. the cabin, which is her dad's cabin, is at lake rhodhiss N.C. and its about a hour away from charlotte too, just in the other direction. I hope this helps. 
> 
> I need to thank sohypothetically for her help. she is awesome and is wonderful... thank you to jojo for helping me scheme and for reading when i would beg, just read it one more time... and thank you to nonnie and jane for helping me read. and thank you dear readers for reading. you don't have to read, but I'm glad that you do! so here we go..hopefully we can start moving towards their future from here.

*************   
Of all the things she has come across in her short twenty-seven years, the worst thing she has to deal with is her ‘4 year old’ son when he doesn’t want to do something. He probably isn’t that bad- Madge told her that Daniel is worse- and Annie says that Jack is a wonderful, well behaved child. But at this moment in time walking the five hundred and so feet from the Hawthorne’s house to hers, his whining is getting on her nerves. 

“Mommy, I don’t want to go home. We wasn’t done playing,” Jack says, fighting a yawn. 

Oh great, he didn’t sleep well last night either. “Baby, I told you, we are having company over for breakfast. And I would like for you to be there. When we are finished eating, we’ll find something fun to do. Maybe after lunch, after you and Daniel have rested, you can go back and play some more. “Walking up the steps leading to their house, she stops and crouches down so she is on Jack’s level. “Right now I need you to be the sweet young man I know you can be."

“But Mommy…”

“No Jack. No buts.” She lifts his chin with her fingers so he can look into her eyes. “Please Jack. This is Mommy’s friend from last night. Do you remember Peeta? He wants to get to know you. So I asked him to come back for breakfast.” Reaching around him, she pulls him into a big hug and nuzzles her nose into his neck so she can breathe his little boy smell. He smells like the woods, dirt, and sugar. “Who is my little Bear?” she growls playfully into his neck. 

Wiggling in her arms as she stands up with him, he tries to twist so he can see her, “Mommy I not a bear! I’m a big boy!” 

Pulling away so she can look at him, she smiles the Jack smile that is only for him. “You can’t be my little Bear anymore?”

“No Mommy. I’m your big boy.” She squeezes him while her fingers find his ticklish ribs. He giggles as he says, “Let me go! I gotta pee!”

Laughing because she knows this new game of his, she sweeps him around. “No you don’t. You are just saying that.”

“No Mommy, I gotta pee. Let me go please.”

She knows that when he says ‘please’ he really does have to go. Opening the door and setting him down inside, she says, “Go then. I want you to change clothes, please.”

“Can I wear my Superman shirt?”

Because of his hero, Jack has four Superman shirts. She knows that they are the same, but at least they are clean. So, at least, he will have a clean shirt to put on. “Ok, meet me in your room.”

He is already up the stairs when he calls back, “K, Mommy!” 

Looking at the clock beside the door, Katniss sees that it is 8:20. Peeta will be here at 8:30. She wonders if he is still as punctual as ever. Looking down at her own clothes, she panics, races up the stairs so she can change too. Walking over to her closet, she starts looking for her favorite jeans. Instead her fingers stop on her sun dress. It was going to be warm for October today, plus she could always throw on a sweater. Wait is she dressing up for Peeta? Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she reaches for the dress. Jack had seen it at the mall and had told her how pretty his Mommy would be in it. So she had splurged. She didn’t tell him that the ‘burnt orange’ he had picked out is his Daddy’s favorite color, too. 

Throwing it on, and grabbing Prim’s sweater, she runs to the bathroom to rebraid her hair. Jack comes walking by the bathroom looking for her. “Mommy what are you doing?”  
Smiling at him in the mirror, she said, “Rebraiding my hair…”

“No Mommy. Leave it down.”

“But baby, I gotta cook…”

“Mommy, leave it down. It makes you prettier.”

She looked at him in surprise. Jack has never said anything like that before. “Ok baby.” She turned him around to go into his room, “Let’s go get you ready now.” 

About the time they are both changed and headed down the stairs, Katniss can see Peeta’s truck pull up in the driveway. Putting her hand on Jack’s shoulder, she pauses at the bottom of the stairs and takes a deep breath, “Jack this man who is coming to eat breakfast with us, well he was, is a good friend. So be a big boy, ok?”

“Yes, Mommy.” 

When she hears the knock on the door Katniss says to Jack, “You can answer the door if you like.”

He moves behind her legs and pressed his face into the back of them, “No Mommy. You do it.” Reaching down to pick him up, his little arms go around her neck tightly as she says, “We’ll do it together. Ok?” Feeling him nod against her neck, she starts to walk to the door, and they count together, “One… Two…” and opens the door as they say, “Three.” 

Standing there is her Peeta. No, he’s not hers anymore, hasn’t been for a long time. She gives him a small smile, “Come in, come in.” Looking into his eyes, she sees where they rest on Jack hugging her tight. “He's feeling a little shy right now, and a little tired.” 

His eyes glance over her and she is glad that Jack told her wear the dress. He smiles nervously. “It’s ok. I’m feeling a little nervous and shy and tired too,” Peeta says with a chuckle. 

Jack says in a soft voice, “Why is he nervous?”

Rubbing Jack’s back, she and Peeta chuckle together. “Well baby everyone gets nervous. Whether, they are big or little.”

Still muffled, he says, “But I’m big.”

“Yes, you are little bear. Peeta come on in. I was getting ready to start breakfast.”

Jack looks up at Peeta. “He has your eyes,” Peeta says. 

“Yea, he does. Everything else is his Daddy though.” Wanting to change the subject, she asks, “What would you like for breakfast? We have eggs, sausage, bacon… I can make some biscuits… but what we usually do on Sundays is make pancakes. Right Bear?”

“Yes Mommy. Can I get down now?”

“Yes, Bear.” Putting him down, she turns to look at Peeta, “Well what would you like?”

“This is quite the role reversal. It used to be me cooking for you” Peeta says. 

She rolls her eyes, “When you have a little one, you learn to cook.” She absentmindedly runs her fingers through jack’s hair, “They get hungry really fast. Right Jack-jack?”  
Jack looks from Katniss to Peeta warily. “Mommy I want pancakes.”

“Is that ok, Peeta?”

He smiles at the both of them, “I think I can handle that. Do you want me to help any?”

“But, Mommy, I stir up the pancakes.” Jack says with a little whine in his voice.

“Yes Bear that is your job.” She bends down to his level, “Baby, no one is not going to take your job away. Ok?” Waiting for Jack to nod, she gives him a hug. “If you want to help me measure, go get a chair.”

When Jack goes to get the chair, she glances at Peeta where he sits at the island. She stares at him for a moment trying to figure out what he is thinking. “It’s ok. Usually it’s just me and Jack. And like once a month Prim, when she isn’t working or out with Rory. We’ve gotten so busy lately, that we are lazy bodies on Sundays.” She pulls out the bowl that she usually uses and jack retrieves the measuring cups. 

She says. “What else do we need for pancakes?”

“Flour.”

“Can you reach it in the pantry?”

“Yes Mommy.”

Gale helped her not long ago to put in an island. It is the perfect size for Jack to help her cook, and to be far enough away from the stove to where she wouldn’t have to worry about him getting burnt. Jack loves how it let him help his mommy more. Feeling that old familiar feeling that never really went away, she takes a deep breath so she can focus on breakfast. 

When Jack goes into the pantry, she meets Peeta’s eyes again. She used to know him so well. How much has he changed over the years? Does he still sleep with the window open? Does he get a chance to bake at all?

When Jack returns with the flour, he climbs back up on his chair. He watches Katniss measure the flour and buttermilk. Then, instead of putting the wisk into the bowl, he looks up at Peeta. Slowly he offers the whisk to him. “You can have a turn stirring it up. Just go slow and don’t spill it.” 

Peeta, realizing how important this is, he solemnly takes the wisk. “Thank you Jack. I appreciate it.” Following Katniss’s lead, he accepts the bowl she slides over to him. Picking up the bowl, testing its weight in his arm, feeling the familiar feel of the whisk he starts to stir. 

“Did you know, Jack, that when I was your age, I worked in a bakery?”

“You did? Wait you worked with Mr. Graham? I bet that was awesome!! He brings me cookies all the time!!”

Katniss watches Peeta’s face go pale as he hears those words and then the tips of his ears turn red. He looks into the bowl of batter as if he could hide from her there. She knows that he is upset. “Bear, why don’t you go up to your room and look for your picture that you drew of Prim. She was going to come get it on her way to work so she could show everyone how you can draw.”

Giving her a funny look, but jumping down anyway, he heads slowly up to his room. She knows that he will be busy for a couple of minutes. Walking around the island to where Peeta still stands with his head down, she gently reaches out to touch his arm. He flashes angry eyes at her and hisses out in a harsh whisper, “Dad, Katniss? He sees Dad ‘all the time’?” He slams down the mixing bowl and walks over to the picture window that overlooks the back yard. Fighting back tears he turns to look at her as she approaches him carefully as one would a rabid animal. 

“Peeta it’s not all the time. Graham comes over about once a month or we meet him at the park across from the bakery when your Mom goes out of town to visit your aunt. He has never said anything to anyone about us…”

“Yea, I know, that’s the problem. I just hate myself. You have been doing this all alone, when he could have told me. And even if we couldn’t have been together, I still could have been here for Jack…”

Reaching out and touching his arm again- why was she touching him so much- Did having Jack make her a touchy-feely person all of a sudden, she whispers, “Peeta, remember I asked your dad not to say anything. And believe me; I am so sorry that I did. I know I should have let you know. But I didn’t. I still can’t tell you why I didn’t. But I was selfish. And if I could go back I would. But I have learned that the what if’s will kill you if you let it.”

Hearing Jack’s steps on the stairs and she moves away from him. “We’ll talk about this some more. Ok?” 

Taking a deep breath, and running his finger through his hair, he sighs. “Ok. Let’s go make some pancakes.”

“Mommy! I can’t find that picture!” Jack shouts. 

Meeting Peeta’s eyes and giving a soft sigh, she turns to meet Jack as he comes running down the stairs. “What’s a matter?”

“I can’t find Aunt Prim’s picture. But I found Charlie’s picture that I was going to give to Mr. Graham instead.” Glancing at Peeta, Jack whispers loudly, “Can I give it to him instead? I don’t think he has anyone to draw him any pictures.”

Blinking away the sudden tears, she realizes all she can do is nod and then watch as Jack walks over to Peeta and offers him his picture. Watching the two blonde heads of the two men she loves most in this world she can feel the love that she always had for them grow even more. As she looks at Peeta’s face while he talks with Jack about the picture, she still finds it hard to figure out what he is thinking. 

“This Mommy is hungry! I’m going to go fix pancakes!”

Jack looks from Katniss to Peeta and says, “Mommy since Peeta knows how to make cookies, then he can make pancakes. Let him cook them.”

Giving Peeta a surprised look, and seeing the joy that blooms in his eyes, her heart gives a flip. “If that is what you want to do. Is that ok with you?”

Giving a nod as he stands up, Peeta holds out his hand towards jack. He is very happy when the little boy slips his hand into his. They are both smiling as they follow her back to the forgotten bowl of batter. 

*********

After breakfast, Jack insists on showing Peeta his playhouse. Peeta even crawls into the house after him, giving Katniss a chance to just watch them. ‘Now what?’ she wonders. Her vibrating phone interrupts her thoughts. Reaching into her pocket, she isn’t surprised when she sees that it is Madge texting her. 

Madge: How is it going?

Katniss: Actually, good. Jack has gotten Peeta to go into the playhouse with him. I know Peeta is a big guy, but until you have seen him in the playhouse, you don’t realize how big lol. Is Daniel still mad because Jack had to leave?

Madge: Daniel is fine. It’s the big one who is being annoying right now. Gale keeps pacing and looking over towards your house like he can see what is happening. Is everything ok?

Katniss: Tell Gale that everything and everyone is ok. I still need to talk to Peeta about what is going to happen now. I’m not ready yet to tell Jack that Peeta is his daddy. Prim is over at Rory’s. Are you all going to be around this afternoon? I don’t want Jack to hear this.

Madge: We were going to go to get pizza for lunch. Why doesn’t Jack come with us then? Doesn’t Peeta have to get back to Atlanta?

Katniss: Yea I’m sure he needs to get on the road soon. He actually hasn’t mentioned anything about work or what is going on with him. He’s probably married or at least engaged or something.

Madge: Do you really think so? I’ve heard Bran mention to Gale that he keeps pretty busy at the office. That is why he is getting the Charlotte office. He’s the youngest ever to be offered the management position. 

Katniss: Wait! When was Gale talking about Peeta to his brother?!

Madge: You know how Gale likes to gossip. Anyways, we are leaving about 11:30. Is that ok?

Katniss: yea, I’ll get him ready and bring him over in a minute, ok? I can’t believe it’s already 10:45!

Madge: Ok. See ya! 

She walks over to where Peeta is extricating himself from the playhouse, and jokes, “That is a tight fit. I’m surprised you got in there.”

Looking into her eyes, he says, “It was worth it. I always wanted one, but you know how Mom is.”

“Yea, too well.” Katniss realizes that she said those words out loud and her face turns bright red.

Peeta chuckles. “We’re not her favorite set of people to begin with. That hasn’t changed at all. Now Dad, he has always loved you. Now I know why.” He says as he looks into the playhouse where Jack is still playing with Superman and Spiderman.

Katniss pulls Peeta further away so Jack can’t hear them. “I’m going to take Jack to Madge so he can go eat pizza with them. We need to talk.”

Nodding at her words, he teases, “Now Miss Everdeen, those are the very words that can strike a man down. And I haven’t even done anything.”

She feels Peeta relax, so she does too and teases back, “Oh Mr. Mellark, you have done plenty. You just aren’t aware of it yet.” She then calls to Jack who is still in the clubhouse, “Jack! You’re going to pizza with Daniel for lunch.” 

“But Mommy I want to play with Peeta some more. He said that he would help me draw you really good. Can I please?”

Pulling Jack over to her, she hugs him. “Maybe next time Bear. Peeta, I think, needs to start heading to Atlanta. That’s where he lives.”

Looking at Peeta with wide eyes, Jack asks, “Atlanta? That’s a really long ways away. I want to go see the sharks but Mommy says work is too busy to take me right now. Too many people want to go into the woods. Are you coming back to see me?”

Peeta crouches so he can look Jack in the eyes. “I would love and I want to come back to see you again. That’s what your Mama and I need to talk about. Ok?”  
Somehow when she hears Peeta say that, she knows everything is going to be ok.

********

After Katniss walks Jack to the Hawthorne’s, she starts to feel nervous again. For the first time in years, she has to let Peeta back into her life for Jack. It used to be so easy when she didn’t know until after he was gone that he had been in town for the weekend or Graham said something to her about a new promotion Peeta had received at work. Here is the person her son has been heartbroken for not being in his life. Who is she kidding, she is still heartbroken too. He is the reason she didn’t date, though she tells everyone it is because of Jack.

She still can’t believe that Peeta is in her house. “Would you like some tea?” she offers.

“Sure, make it with no…”

“Sugar.” She finishes for him.

“You remember…”

“How could I forget? I remember everything about you. You always said you wanted to taste the tea…”

“And not the sugar.” He laughs. 

As she turns to get the tea out of the cabinet, she hears him sigh. She turns to look at where he sits at her island with his head in his hands, running his fingers through his hair. She knows that he does this when he is upset and trying to figure something out. She puts the kettle on to boil. 

“What do we do now, Katniss? Now that I know about him, I can’t leave him. I never would have left him anyway.”

She sees the sadness in his eyes. She wants to reach out and tell him that it will be ok. But she doesn’t let herself. He is no longer hers to comfort. “When do you have to be moved and in the office in Charlotte?”

“I think its two or three weeks? Then I’ll be much closer. I have an idea. How about you bring Jack next weekend and we will go to the aquarium? I went when I was getting together their ad campaign for last year. It’s great and I would love to take you and Jack.” He says with hope in his eyes. “Come on Katniss. Do you have to work next weekend?”  
“Well I do have that one group coming in. but I think Vick and Posy can do it. They don’t want to go far into the woods.” Watching Peeta’s face light up like Jack’s does when he is excited about something is worth rearranging her entire schedule. At least she hopes it is. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you, Katniss.” He watches her pour boiling water over the tea bag. “What is going to happen now? Are we going to share custody? Am I only going to get to see him on the weekends? And maybe on Thanksgiving and Christmas? I don’t want it to end up this like that.”

Chewing on her lip as she looks down into her cup like it has the answers. “I know. I didn’t want it to be this way either. But here we are. Now we just need to remember to act like adults and we will get through this.” She looks up at him to where he sits watching her. “I still can’t believe that you are here.”

“I can’t believe that I am here either. Why didn’t you let Dad tell me? I would have come home to take care of you and Jack.” 

“I told you, I thought you didn’t want me anymore. It was like you disappeared. I mean I even went to the bakery and talked to your mom! When you didn’t call, that is when I knew something was wrong. And I was tired Peeta, really tired. I thought you were with Glimmer on top of everything.” Taking a deep breath, “Honestly if I hadn’t seen Graham in the grocery store when my water broke, he wouldn’t know either. You don’t know how sorry I am for not pushing more to tell you. But I am doing the best I can…” she doesn’t even realize that tears are falling down her face until she feels his hands grabbing her arms, and bringing her in for a hug. 

“Hey. I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get you so upset. It’s ok now. I’m here if you will let me be here. I want to be here for you and Jack.” he leans back so he can tilt her chin up and see her face. “I’m here now. We will figure this out together if you will allow it?”

Returning his squeeze, she says “I’ll allow it.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a quick note to thank everyone... sohypothetically... you are awesome dear... nonnie and jane for reading... jojo for scheming. 
> 
> I don't own anything... the hunger games, the cities of Atlanta or Charlotte, Coca-Cola, spiderman or superman... 
> 
> and thank you dear reader. you don't have to read this, but you do. and I am so thankful that you do. I hope you enjoy!!

When he gets into his truck to leave Katniss and Jack on Sunday, it is the hardest thing he has ever done. It would be easier to tear his heart out and leave it here. After telling Katniss goodbye, he has to use every part of his willpower not to drop to his knees, beg for forgiveness and to take her in his arms so he can finally come home. Instead he turns around, climbs into his truck and pulls out of her driveway. When he gets to the stop sign and he can either go left to his parents’ house, or right to go to Atlanta, he turns right. He thinks about going and talking to his parents about what just happened, but he isn’t ready to share Jack with them yet. He snorts at the irony of the situation. His Dad didn’t share Jack with him, and now he is returning the sentiment. ‘Yep, this is a healthy family dynamic,’ He thinks to himself. 

While he drives, he plays the weekend over and over in his head. His heart breaks thinking about Jack, that sweet little boy loves Superman and his mommy. It isn’t until that moment that he realizes how much he has missed him. Yes, it is one of those corny but so sweet love songs, “I loved you before I met you” type things, but his heart aches the further away he is from him. Jack is everything he could want in a son; everything he could have wished for and everything he could have prayed for. So many hopes and dreams have reawakened for him, along with the realization that he doesn’t want the hustle and bustle of city life and the competiveness of the corporation. 

Years ago he buried the dreams that included Katniss. The memories that would resurface when he had too much to drink, or in those moments of waking up when he would think for a moment that they were in the bedroom of her house wrapped around each other with his nose buried in her hair. He would reach across his bed searching for her, and when he couldn’t find her there, he would break again. 

The miles go by quickly as he is lost in his thoughts and soon he is pulling into his parking spot outside of his townhouse. Putting the truck in park, he rests his forehead against the steering wheel and takes a deep breath. Feeling the tears come, he grabs his bag and his computer and goes inside. He sets his bags down in his bedroom, slips off his shoes before walking into the bathroom, pulling off his shirt and starting the shower. Dunking his head, feeling the hot water wash over him; he finally lets the tears come. With the tears comes 5 years of what if’s and should have been. 

***  
It is much later when he is eating his sandwich that his phone chimes its text message ring. Feeling his heart skip a beat when he sees that it is from Katniss, he opens it.

Katniss: Hey. I was wondering if you had made it back ok?

Peeta: I’ve been here about an hour. I was just eating a bite. What are you doing?

Katniss: Actually I was enjoying the peace for just a little bit longer. Jack is still at Daniel’s. Do you go back to work tomorrow?

Peeta: Yes, I have to catch up from being gone last week and I need to get everything started on the transfer to the Charlotte office.

Katniss: So you are for sure taking it?

Peeta: I can’t turn it down now. I will be a little over an hour away from (he so wanted to type her name!!) Jack. If I find a place on the west side, I will be even closer. 

Katniss: On the west side? Get in touch with Finn. He just finished doing some work on some townhouses and apartments on that side of Charlotte. He might know of some places. 

Peeta: Thanks!! Can you send me his number? I don’t have his anymore.

Katniss: 828-555-3969. Do you remember Dad’s old cabin?

Peeta: Of course I remember that place!! That’s great that you still have it. It has the best view of Lake Rhodhiss. 

Katniss: One of the places Finn worked on is close to it. That might be too far to drive though. 

Peeta: Well the office is kind of north Charlotte but it’s west too. I might get a hotel room at first until I can figure out where I want to live. 

Katniss: You can stay in the cabin if you’d like. 

Peeta: I can’t do that.

Katniss: Yes you can. Someone needs to stay in it, at least for a little while. I’ve been so busy getting ready for the spring hikes we haven’t had time to go. When are you moving?

Peeta: Well since the transfer was waiting on me to accept, it’s just a matter of moving now. You are still coming this weekend aren’t you? Jack needs to come and see the sharks!

Katniss: Lol. Like he would let me forget. Posy and Vick said they would cover for me on Friday and Saturday both. So we can come down Friday morning. Are you working?

Peeta: I can take a day off. I need to pack anyway. 

Katniss: Are you sure?

Peeta: Yes!! I can’t disappoint Jack anymore. How long are you going to stay?

Katniss: Sunday I guess? Will we be in the way of you wanting to pack? We can help if you want us to.

Peeta: You are not coming all this way to help me pack. I’m going to start packing this week so you won’t have to help me.

Katniss: Ok, Lol.

Peeta: What does Jack like to eat?

Katniss: I can very proudly say anything. He hasn’t met a food yet that he doesn’t like. But he will eat the normal kid stuff before he will anything else. Are you going to feed us too?

Peeta: But of course. I can’t have my favorite people going hungry now can I?

Katniss: No I guess not. Thank you for letting us come to visit.

Peeta: It’s not a problem. What else would Jack like to do while he is here?

Katniss: The aquarium is plenty!! I need to go get Jack. I bet he’s ready to go to bed by now. 

Peeta: I bet he is. Thank you.

Katniss: Thank you for what?

Peeta: Just thank you for today. Thank you for Jack. Thank you for letting me meet him.

Katniss: You’re welcome. I’ll talk to you later.

Peeta: Goodnight.

 

*****************************  
Monday morning comes too quickly for tired mamas. Rolling over to hit the alarm, and thankful that she doesn’t have to have Jack anywhere until nine, Katniss lays in bed for just a minute more. She can’t remember the entire dream that she was just having, but she knows that it was about Peeta. She dreams about Peeta often, but this one was so real. Instead of the Peeta from 5 years ago, this one has the guarded but still loving Peeta from this weekend. The grown up Peeta that she still wants. For just a moment, she lets herself think about what it would be like to kiss him. To feel him next to her again. There hasn’t been anyone else in these five years. She just hasn’t had time. But she did rely on her memories of Peeta when she used the vibrator that Jo bought her after Jack was born. Taking a deep breath and feeling the wetness from her memories and the electricity that was in the air yesterday, she reaches for her top drawer in her nightstand. Seeing that it is 7:05, she relaxes knowing that she has time. And once again, she is grateful that Jack will sleep on Mondays until she wakes him up. That doesn’t however stop her from getting up and locking her bedroom door. 

Crawling back into the bed, she picks up her vibrator and settles back against the pillows. Turning it on she starts to think about her old memories. Before she can stop herself however, the Peeta that is here yesterday was in her thoughts. His eyes were even bluer than they had been when they were so much younger. How wide his shoulders had gotten. How his hands were still the same hands that used to be her everything. And his voice saying her name again… Katniss gasped as the vibrations against her clit brought her to orgasm. Maybe she has missed him more than she thought if she came that fast just from seeing him yesterday. 

Waiting for her heart to slow down, her mind goes to her dream again. It was like the orgasm brought everything into focus, they were a family like they should have been from the beginning. Letting the tears come, she realized that they wasn’t sad tears of what had been lost, but they were tears of happiness and of hope, The hope of what was coming and of old and new dreams finally coming true. Katniss felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff looking out into the unknown. She needs to take that first step and she somehow knew that everything will fall into place. 

***

“Mama when is Peeta coming to see me again?” 

“We will be seeing him on Friday I hope. Why?” Katniss asks as she helps Jack tie his shoe. Standing up, she picks the comb off of the counter.

Trying not to fidget like little boys who really don’t like getting their hair combed will, he says, “He was fun to play with. And he didn’t say no when I asked him to get in my clubhouse. He said that he wanted to draw with me.” And then in his little voice, he adds, “I really like him. He listened to my words.”

She can almost see his little lip quivering, and then he takes a deep breath and meets her eyes. Bending down so she is on his level, she brings him in for a hug. Jack, realizing what she is doing, lunges at her and throws his arms around her neck. Not expecting that, she loses her balance and they both tumble backwards with Jack landing on top. She laughs only when Jack laughs first which she takes as a sign that whatever was bothering him is over now. Squeezing him tight, she sits up and settles him on her lap so she can give him a big, big hug, as he likes to call them, and she gives him a kiss on the top of his head. 

“Hey Bear, I have an idea.”

She hears his muffled voice from where his head is buried in her chest. “What Mommy?”

“Why don’t you go to work with me today? Posy and Vick are both going to be there so we can hang out all day. How does that…”

Jumping up, he throws his arms around her neck. “Oh Mommy can I? I love it when I get to go to work! But what about Ms. Annie?”

“Oh, Bear, she can do without you for one day.” She heads downstairs and knows that he will be following her, she says, “I’ll text her and let her know that you are staying with me today. Will that work?”

“Oh yes Mommy. Can I help Posy play in the tent?”

“We’ll see, we’ll see.”

***

After Jack buckles himself up in his booster seat, he says, “Mommy I’m hungry.”

She forgot to fix them some breakfast. The bakery is on the way to the shop, though, and she remembers that Graham told her just last week that Anna had declared herself retired from the bakery. Looking in her rear-view mirror at Jack, she suggests, “Hey Bear, do you want to try something new?”

“What is it? Where are we going?”

“Hang on; we’ll be there in a minute.” She turns into one of the parking spaces of the bakery. 

“Are we there, Mommy?”

Putting the jeep in park, she turns in her seat. “Come on Bear. You will like this place.”

He unbuckles his booster seat. Katniss gets out of the jeep and holds out her hand, and waits for him to put his hand in hers before she walks in the bakery door. Opening the door and hearing the chime of the bell that she hasn’t heard in years, smelling the bakery’s smells, she blinks quickly to fight the tears that come to her eyes.

“Katniss and Jack! My two favorite people in the whole wide world! Can I get you two something to eat?” Graham calls out to them when they approach the counter. 

Katniss gives Graham a nod and watches Jack as he goes to the counter to look at all of the baked goodness in the glass display. He is amazed at the cupcakes that are decorated with different cartoon characters, cakes covered in flowers like dandelions and primroses, doughnuts in every shape and size and of course, cheese buns.

“What do you see, Bear?”

“Oh Mommy, can I try them all?”

Chuckling, she says, “Oh Bear, then we wouldn’t be able to get anything else done today. Why don’t you pick out a doughnut for now and a cupcake for later?”

Nodding and then looking at her with wide eyes, “Really Mommy? I can have two of them?”

“Yes, and I want cheese buns. I’m going to talk to Mr. Graham for a minute, ok?”

Jack looks up at Graham like he is just notices that he stands behind Mommy. He propels his little body at the man’s legs and gives him a big, big hug and an even bigger smile. “There you are! Where have you been?”

Graham chuckles for those are the words that he always says to Jack when he meets them in the park. Reaching down and picking him up under his arms, he pulls Jack in for a proper hug. “I’ve been right here working. Where have you been, young man?”

“I made a new friend yesterday! His name is Peeta…”

“Jack why don’t you go to the coloring area and make Mr. Graham a picture?” Katniss interrupts.

“But Mommy…”

“Jack, let me talk to Mr. Graham for a minute, and then you can tell him what we want to eat, ok?”

“Ok, Mommy.” Jack says with a sigh after Graham set him on his feet and walks over to the kid’s table.

“He met Peeta this weekend?” Graham whispers.

“You haven’t talked to him?”

“I saw him for about ten minutes yesterday morning. He said that he had to meet someone and was gone very early. What happened?”

She isn’t sure how much she should say. She feels like she is being put in the middle somehow. Peeta should be talking to him about this, not her. “Graham… “

“Jack met Peeta right?” Graham interrupts her.

Looking down so she doesn’t have to meet his eyes, she mutters a weak, “Yes.” She has forgotten how expressive his face is. She sees shock, happiness and then sadness all mixed up. Before she knows it, Graham has her wrapped up in a hug. Returning it meekly, she pats him on the back and then steps back.

“Oh, Katniss. Why didn’t he say anything?”

“I figured he would have come back before he went back to Atlanta.”

“No, not a word. He did text to let me know he made it back ok.” He pats Katniss on the back, “Well I imagine it’s been a shock to him. He used to do this when he was younger. He would have to go process everything that had happened and then come back and talk about it. I would imagine that he was upset too.” He looks over at Jack, “All I’ve ever wanted is for you and Jack to have everything you deserve and that includes Peeta.” He looks back to Katniss, sees the tears forming in her eyes, and pulls her in again for a side hug. “Oh, sweetie. It’s going to be alright. I would even go as far as to say that it’s me he is going to be the maddest at. And trust me, after living with Anna all this time, I can handle it. I would even say he’s at work right now figuring out a way to get back here sooner rather than later.”

***

Walking into the office on that Monday morning, Peeta realizes two things. One, that it is time for a change, and two; he doesn’t really like what he is doing anymore. He stops at Clove’s desk for his messages from last week. “How did it go last week?”

“The normal stuff. Cato did manage to land the new Coke campaign. We all had too much to drink that night.” When Clove was assigned to be his personal assistant a year ago, Plutarch had told Peeta to train her to take over his spot one day. Now after going to the Charlotte branch, he understands. He gathers his messages and walks into his office with Clove following behind him. 

Setting down his messenger bag on his desk, he walks over to the window. “Did you water the plants?”

“You know I did, boss. Well, how is Charlotte? Is it as bad as Plutarch made it out to be?”

Peeta walks over to his chair and sits down. He knows that it’s going to be a busy week, but he is ready for Friday. “It’s not really that bad. The office manager there, Effie, is just so overwhelmed since Portia quit to stay home with her baby that she has let too many accounts fall aside. That is why they want me.”

“That’s because you are just so good. I kind of wish I could come with you. But I’m excited about taking over this office. Do you think they would let me paint the walls blue?”

He laughs at her as she sits back and admires the view out the window. He had thought he might miss this place, but after meeting Jack and seeing Katniss, he knows that won’t be the case. “What do you need to do this morning?” 

“Plutarch said something about me looking over the campaigns from the past year even though I know yours and some of Cato’s.”

“Ok. Well go ahead and start pulling files. I’m going to make some phone calls, and then we will start figuring out what lose ends I need to tie up before I go.”

Clove starts to walk to the door when she turns at the last minute to study Peeta. “You seem different today. What happened while you were in Charlotte? Something happened, you seem lighter somehow. Whatever it is, it looks good on you.”

He smiles a little smile and looks at his keyboard. Not wanting to give anything away about what did happen, he instead says, “I had a chance to stop by the old hometown. It was good seeing everyone. Get out of here Clove. We both have work to do.”

Googling the name of Delly's flower shop back home, he dials the number. Hearing her cheerful, “The Tipsy Tulip” always makes him smile since he has to call her when he is coming into town.

“Hey Delly, it’s Peeta.”

He has to hold the phone away from his ear when she lets out her trademark squeal, and he laughs as she exclaims, “Are you still in town? Graham told me yesterday when I stopped for doughnuts that you were in.”

“No I had to get back last night. I just ran out of time this time. I’ll treat you to your regular Scarlet O’Hara the next time I’m in town. I don’t see how you can drink Southern comfort and cranberry juice. ”

“Oh Peeta,” she giggles. “Not everyone thinks it tastes like cough syrup. Whenever you can, I know you are a busy man. I was also told that you were moving to Charlotte. Is that true, too?”

“Yes it is. Hopefully, I will be all moved in two weeks. I need to call the moving company that Plutarch is paying for. Anyways that isn’t why I called- I need you to do me a favor.”

“Peeta, you know I’ll do anything you need. What is it?”

“First of all, I need a big bouquet of daisies and dandelions…”

“Dandelions, Peeta?”

“Yes. Doesn’t the meadow out beside the bakery still have those?”

“I think so.”

“And then I need for you to go down to Haymitch’s…”

“You want me to go to Haymitch’s? Peeta what are you up to?”

“Well if you will let me finish, I will tell you. Go to Haymitch’s and get some art supplies. I’m going to call him next and see what he has so he can have it ready for you.”

“So after I get the daisies and the dandelions and the art supplies, where am I delivering it all to?

“You are actually going to take it all to Everdeen’s….”

Peeta had to hold the phone away from his ear again because Delly let out another squeal. he gently puts the phone back to his ear as he has heard only some of what she was saying, “…he is such a sweet boy… are you talking to Katniss again… her shop is down from mine… business is picking up for everyone…”

He chuckles and thinks how Delly hasn’t changed after all these years. She was always his biggest cheerleader when it came to him and Katniss. “Delly… listen to me, please.”

Breathless, she answers, “What Peeta?”

“When can you get this stuff to Katniss?”

“Peeta! You are sending her flowers! What happened?”

“Delly, I promise I will explain it all soon. Let me call Haymitch’s so you can get this done today. Do you need my credit card number?”

“Ok, Peeta. You definitely owe me a drink after that heart attack. Just don’t worry about the card right now. Next time you are in town, bring it by and I’ll do it with the credit card machine. It’s easier to do it that way."

“Are you sure? I’ve got it right here in front of me.”

“You are fine. Get me next time.”

“Ok then. I’ll go ahead and pay Haymitch so you won’t have to.”

“Thank you. He also just got some new trucks. Jack likes trucks too.”

Surprised that Delly would know that he asks, “How do you know that?”

“Oh Peeta, their shop is right down from mine. One day last week they came in to say hello and Jack was telling me about his new truck. He was really proud that it’s a Superman truck. What happened between you and Katniss? Why are you sending them flowers and toys?”

“Delly I told you, I will tell you over drinks. I promise. You get those flowers ready; let me call Haymitch, and I’ll text you to let you know when you can pick it up. Ok?”

He can hear the chime of her front door ringing in the back ground. “Listen, I’m the only one here right now, let me let you go.”

“Ok. Talk to you later. Thank you again, Delly.”

“You’re welcome. Bye, Peeta.”

Pushing the end button, Peeta looks through his contacts to see if by chance he still has Haymitch’s phone… oh there it is. Pushing send, he waits for the old coot to answer. Wishing he had taken a minute to go into Haymitch’s store to see what he still carried, he was almost lost in thought when he hears a gruff. “Haymitch’s”

“Is this Haymitch?”

“Speaking. Who is this?”

“Hey, Haymitch its Peeta Mellark.”

“Well, hello boy. It’s been a long time.”

“Yes it has. How is business treating you?” Peeta asks.

“It’s actually good. How can I help you, boy? I know you didn’t call me to talk shop,” He grunts at Peeta.

Chuckling into the phone, he answers, “No, I didn’t. I heard that you still had art supplies on hand?”

“I have some stuff. What are you looking for?”

Peeta sighs in frustration. “Delly Cartwright is coming by in a little bit. She is going to pick up some art supplies and some toys for a delivery. Would it be better if she just comes in and calls me to tell me what you have?”

“No, I have what you need. Would this delivery happen to be for a certain four year old boy that has blonde hair like his father?”

Peeta doesn’t have time to stutter out a meek reply before Haymitch is talking over him, “You know, it’s about time she let you know about the little boy. He was in here just the other day telling me…”

“What do you mean it’s about time she let me know?”

“Calm your tits, boy! They meet your dad at the park across from me once a month. It wasn’t hard to put one and two together and that equals the little boy being a Mellark.”

“Haymitch! Don’t go announcing it to your entire store! Listen just get him some art supplies and some toys that he has been wanting over the past couple of months that Katniss hasn’t gotten for him. Call me back and I’ll pay for them and I can let Delly know to pick the stuff up.”

“You don’t have to pay now. Just, the next time you are in town, come by and settle up the bill.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I trust you. Tell Delly to give me about an hour and she can pick the stuff up.”

“Thank you Haymitch. And throw some of the new trucks in there too. I heard something about a Superman and a Spiderman truck?”

“Yea I’ve got those. Listen, boy…”

“What is it, Haymitch?”

“Hurry up and fix this. That little boy has been missing his daddy for a long time. I’ll tell you what she won’t; they need you. Hurry up and come and rescue them.”

Feeling the sting of unexpected tears, he clears his throat quickly and says, “That is what I’m trying to do. They have to let me in so I can.”

 

***  
He was closing out his computer when he got the text from Delly saying that she had just delivered the flowers and stuff from Haymitch’s to Katniss. He smiles to himself as he gather up the last of his things, walks to the door, and shuts off the light. He types out a quick reply to Delly as he makes his way to his truck. Wondering how long it was going to take for Katniss to call him, his phone starts ringing. Looking at her name lighting up his screen he swipes the screen to accept it. “Hello…”

She interrupts him before he can say anything else, “What did you do Peeta?” 

Laughing, he says, “Who, me? I didn’t do anything.”

“Peeta,” he hears the disbelief in her voice, “You sent me those beautiful flowers and Jack those art supplies and trucks. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Katniss, I wanted to. Are those the art supplies that Jack likes, or has he figured out what his favorite mediums are yet?”

“He just likes art. He isn’t that picky. Peeta, why did you send us those things?”

Too late he remembers how she was when it came to receiving things. She hated feeling like she owed anyone. “Katniss it’ ok. I did it because I wanted to. I want Jack to have some new art things that I know that he would like. The daisies and the dandelions, I remember that those are your favorites. Has that changed?”

Meekly she answers, “No, Peeta, they are still my favorites. I’m sorry. It didn’t hit me that you hadn’t been able to give to Jack like I have. It’s a natural thing to want to do it now. Just do me a favor and give me a head’s up next time. Ok?”

“Oh, no. What happened?”

“Did Delly not tell you?”

“No I haven’t talked to her since I asked her to get the flowers and to run by Haymitch’s. This doesn’t sound good at all.” By this time he’s climbing behind the steering wheel of his truck. He asks, “What did Jack do?”

While He starts the truck and heads out of the parking lot Katniss tells him, “Well first you have to understand that Delly and Jack adore each other. When I was first opening the store, she volunteered to watch Jack while I was getting everything set up. Until he started school in August, he would be at her flower shop a couple of days a week.”

“Oh, wow. I didn’t know he was close to Delly,” He says with a tinge of regret in his voice. 

“Oh, Peeta. What’s wrong?” 

He sighs into the phone, “I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I have a son. And it makes me sad when I think about the time I’ve missed.” He isn’t about to tell her how upset it makes him also. “What happened next?”

“Well, once Jack saw Delly coming in the door with the flowers and the stuff, he had a fit. He looked at the art supplies for about a minute, but unknown to me, Haymitch put some candy in the bundle he knew Jack has been begging for but I wouldn’t let him have it. He ate it before I realized what happened and he is still bouncing around. He is starting to wind down. Thankfully, Posy worked today so she was able to play with him while I arranged some hikes. How was your day?”

Just when he is about to respond, he hears Jack asking, “Mommy when are we going home? I want to go paint.”

“Hang on, Bear, let me finish talking to Peeta…”

“Peeta!” he hears Jack screech. “Let me talk to him, Mommy. Please, I need to talk to him. Let me talk to him, please, Mommy…” he hears Jack say all in one breathe without pausing a bit.

“Wait just a minute…”

“It’s ok Katniss. I’ll talk to him.”

“Are you sure? You’re not busy right now?”

“No, I’m driving. I’m actually almost home.”

“Ok, then.” holding the phone away from her ear, he can still hear her say, “Jack, remember what I told you the other day about talking on the phone? How we still need to be nice and listen when the other person is trying to talk?”

He chuckles when he hears a disgruntled, “Yes, Mommy. I’ll listen when Peeta is talking. I promise.”

A sweet little voice comes on the line and says, “Hello Peeta! Delly said that you sent me the trucks! And the new paint! When are you coming to paint with me? When can you come play with me again? Mommy said that we could take you to Papa’s lake and that you might even get to stay in Papa’s cabin if you want to. I didn’t go to school today. I’m so glad that I didn’t because you sent me stuff and I got to see Delly…” he says all in one breath again. He can hear Katniss chuckling in the back ground.   
“Wow, Jack that is a mouthful…”

“What do you mean it’s a mouthful? I don’t have anything in my mouth. Mommy why would Peeta say that I have a mouthful when I don’t have anything in my mouth and he can’t see me either. Can he see me? Peeta can you see me? If you can see me why can’t I see you?”

“Jack, give me the phone.”

“No, Mommy. I still talking to Peeta…”

“Jack listen to my words. I need to talk to Peeta and then we need to go home and fix supper and go to bed. You sound really tired.”

He hears the tired and over-excited little boy say, “K, Mommy. Bye, Peeta.”

“Bye, Jack.”

Katniss come back to him with a chuckle, “That is a tired little boy, just in case you didn’t guess. Can I call you or text you later? Let me get him in and fed.”

“That works. I actually need to call the movers.”

“Ok, I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye, Katniss.”

“Bye, Peeta.”  
***

 

Katniss catches herself looking and smiling every time she sees the flowers out of the corner of her eye as she does her evening routine. Even though she had once told Peeta that she kind of thought giving or sending flowers was silly, that she would rather have something to plant in the yard, this time she feels special. And even though she tried to fuss at Peeta over sending them, she is still glad that he did. The candy for Jack that Haymitch included, well that is a different story. After coaxing Jack to finish his dinner, she decides that it is time for an early bath and an early bed time. She loves Jack, but she also needs some mommy time. 

It is about 8:00 when she realizes that Jack is asleep. So she goes to the refrigerator, and opens her favorite local winery’s muscadine wine and settled on the couch with the remote. She needs to look over her list for the order she needs to place on Wednesday, but she knows what she needs, so she decides to relax instead. 

She starts going through the DVR when her eyes settle on her phone on the coffee table in front of her. Trying to remember if she had turned the volume up before she went to help Jack with his bath, she jumps when her text notification rings. Taking a deep breath, she leans forward and smiles when she sees that it’s Madge.

Madge: What are you doing?

Katniss: Drinking wine. U?

Madge: Is Jack asleep? I just got Daniel to sleep  
.  
Katniss: Yes you can come over and ask about Peeta.

Madge: I’ll be there in a min. Do you have more wine?

Katniss: You know I do.

Madge: K

Katniss gets up and makes sure the front door is still open and unlatches the screen door so Madge can come in and then goes to the kitchen to pour another glass of wine. As she finishes pouring, she hears Madge step on the squeaky second step she has been meaning to fix. The opening door rings the bear-bell she had to attach last year so she could hear if Jack was going outside. Putting the cork back in the bottle, she puts it back in the refrigerator and turns with the wine in her hand to give to Madge. Katniss walks back to the couch and sits with her feet under her, then waits for her friend to make herself comfortable too. Sitting there in silence like only old friends can, Katniss waits for the question to come…

“What happened?” Madge asks.

Taking a long sip of her wine to finish the glass, Katniss looks into the bottom half wishing she had brought the bottle with them. “It went well. It really did.” Giving a little smile and looking up at Madge, she says, “I thought he would be really mad, but I think he’s still in shock.”

“Why would he be mad? Katniss it’s you. He could never be mad at you over anything.” 

“Madge, you don’t realize how much he wanted kids. There were times after he proposed that that was all he would talk about. I always thought that he wanted kids because of the way his mom is. In a way to prove that he isn’t anything like her.”

Taking a drink, Madge gets up and walks to the kitchen to get the rest of the wine. “You know, I never thought about it, but that kind of makes sense. In a way he wanted children to show her that he could do it better?” She walks back to the couch and pours Katniss another glass and settles back on the couch.

“And because he is so good and kind.” Physically shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts, Katniss begins to tell Madge everything that happened over the weekend with Peeta. She keeps looking at the flowers that he sent today. He still loves her. She knew it when he first looked at her at Daniel’s party. She also knows that she still loves him. She just needs to figure out if it’s because he gave her Jack, or if it’s because it’s him. 

 

Quick end note… there is such a thing as a bear bell… we had to get one for the deaf dog so we could hear where she was, ended up having to put it on the screen door because the mother in law oiled the door and I couldn’t hear anymore when my little was leaving…


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!! Summer is here! I’m actually updating for you from the beach today!!! I hope you enjoy this chapter. And remember that it’s only been a week since Peeta learned about Jack. I’ve been thinking so much about this story, It’s seems like for forever. I do appreciate each and every one of you who takes a moment out of their day to read. And I the ones who review every time, thank you. I get a big smile each time I read your review. And the ones who are following, thank you so much!!!! 
> 
> And thank you to sohypothetically… dear you rock. Jojo thank you!! And nonnie and jane… thank you too!!

Peeta is almost done with his Tuesday morning list of what Clove likes to call his ‘Peeta-do list’, when he remembers that he needs to call the moving company. After calling them, he calls Thresh to make arrangements to take Jack and Katniss to the aquarium. He was the chief designer last year on their advertising campaign, and their board was so pleased with the results that he was given lifetime passes. He just has to call Thresh and tell him that he is coming. Because this is the first time he has someone to take, so he hasn’t been yet. 

He still can’t believe that Katniss has agreed to come to Atlanta. Peeta has fond memories of her legendary stubbornness and hard-headedness. His own dad likes to tell the story about Lily Everdeen and how when they were little, he had told her that she couldn’t climb the big pine tree behind her house. Well when little Lily got about halfway up the tree, she lost her footing and fell ten feet to break her arm because no one could tell her that she was too little. Katniss herself likes to tell the story of when she was four and begged her dad to teach her to shoot a bow. At first he would say that she was too little, but after taking his handmade bow that had been handed down to him by his father and almost shooting their pet cat, he had to go and get her own Katniss sized bow. 

Given those two examples his dad would say that the Everdeen women were good examples of old fashioned independence. When Mr. Everdeen was killed by falling off of the light pole when Katniss is 16, and Lily went into her shock and depression, Peeta asked his Dad to sell her the leftover loaves, from the bakery, for 50 cents apiece, to make the monthly check go a little further. It’s also because of his passing, and wanting to give some kind of comfort to Katniss, he started to speak to her when he could. Katniss felt like she owed him, started to respond to him, and they became friends. 

Checking the time, Peeta sees that it’s close to lunch but decides to call Katniss anyway. After her cell phone rings several times, he is disappointed when it goes to her voice mail. Listening to her sweet voice asking him to leave a message, he simply says, “Hey it’s Peeta. Call me when you get a chance. I’ve made arrangements for this weekend and was just going to fill you in on the details... bye.” Pushing end, he sets the phone down.   
That is when Clove walks in and hears the tail end of his message. She smirks at him, “Do you have a big date loverboy? Who is the lucky lady?”

He blushes slightly as he looks down at his desk. “Just an old friend from school.”

“Mellark, are you blushing?” Sitting down in the chair In front of his desk, Clove makes herself comfortable. “I’ve been working with you for the past three years. I have never seen you act like this. Who is she?”

“She is just an old friend from school. We both ended up at a birthday party Saturday…” Its then his cell starts to ring. Clove grins when she sees a smile spread across Peeta’s face, letting her know who is calling. “Go do some work or something. I need to answer this.”

He watches her walk out of his office and shut the door before accepting the call. “Hello?”

“Hey it’s Katniss. Sorry I couldn’t get to the phone in time.”

In just the course of not even a day, hearing her talk to him like she did so long ago makes him happy. He just listens to her talk and enjoys the sound of her voice before he realizes that she has asked him a question. Blushing again, he clears his throat and asks, “I’m sorry, Clove was talking to me, what did you say?”

“You’re not listening to me,” She says with an annoyed tone.

“Honestly, Katniss, I was listening to your voice and thinking about how much I have missed hearing you over the past couple of years. And I am beyond excited about you and Jack coming to see me. I was thinking that maybe Saturday we can go to the aquarium and then, if he’s not too tired, we can go to the Coca-Cola museum. Or even go to Six Flags?” he says, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. As they continue talking and making arrangements for the upcoming weekend, Peeta can’t help but to feel a little bit of hope, too.

******

They are both amazed at how fast the week goes by. Soon it’s Friday morning and Katniss is loading Jack into the Jeep to make the four hour drive to Atlanta. She is hoping that since she woke him up so early that he will sleep some on the way down. Lucky for her, he’s out less than thirty minutes into the trip. When she told Jack that they were going to go see the sharks in Atlanta he was so excited. He was more excited when he found out that they were going with his new friend Peeta. He had even thrown his little arms around her legs and told her that Peeta had said they were going to play together again real soon. He just didn’t understand why he was four hours away from them when he wanted him to come back on Wednesday so he could show him where he fell on the playground and skinned his knee. He liked the Band-Aid that Ms. Annie had given him, but he wasn’t so sure about one of the little girls named Hailey who kissed the Band-Aid so it would be all better. He also didn’t understand why she wanted to hold his hand when they were having story time at the library. But he told Mommy that he let her so she wouldn’t cry or hit him like she did the day before when he took his hand away. Jack had told her all in one breath that day.

Katniss calls Peeta when she exits off of I-85 in Duluth. He only lives 5 minutes away, but he wants to be looking for her jeep when she pulls up to the gate up so he can make sure she finds his townhouse. Peeta told her that he took the entire day off so he could be there when they arrived. She still can’t believe that they are here. If Glimmer hadn’t have practiced her deceit, would they still be together? Would they be in Atlanta or would he have taken that teaching job that the neighboring high school had posted in the university’s art department? Katniss tries not to think about those things as she pulls up into his visitor spot.

He leaves his front step and comes to the driver’s side of her Jeep. Before she realizes what he is doing, he opens the door, reaches in, helps her out, and envelopes her in a hug. She stiffens in surprise, then relaxes into his embrace. They embrace for a moment before she pulls away from him and reaches in to get her keys. 

“I’m so glad that you are here. How was traffic?”

“Oh dear lord!” she exclaims. “Atlanta traffic drives me batty. I don’t see how you drive in it every day.” As she pulls away, and glances to where Jack is still asleep in the back seat, “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Anything I have is yours. How can I be of service?” he says with a bow.

Motioning towards Jack, she says, “He has been asleep since we left home. I really need to pee. Where is your bathroom at and will you hang out with him? Don’t wake him up yet. Sometimes he gets confused and you might scare him.”

“Go. As soon as you go in the front door, there is a bathroom at the bottom of the stairs.” He calls after her since she has already taken off. Turning to look into the back seat, he sees the little mister still sleep. He remembers how Katniss told him that Jack was big enough for a booster and rode in one when he was riding around their hometown, but on long trips like this, she prefers for him to ride in the five point harness seat. This is the first time he has gotten to watch someone so perfect, well except for Katniss, sleep. He can see so much of her in Jack’s face as he sleeps, although he gets small glimpses of Mellark too. At the moment, though, all he sees is Katniss. 

Jumping in surprise when Katniss touches his arm, he laughs nervously. Trying not to stumble over his words, he starts to say something, but Katniss interrupts him and says, “He is so perfect when he sleeps. I know every parent says that, but it was in these moments over the past couple of years of watching him sleep, I knew…” and she just stops talking and looks around like she just said too much.

“What were you going to say Katniss?” he whispers in her ear.

“Peeta,” she says with a longing in her voice, “I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?” he whispers again.

Pulling away from him she starts to gather their luggage together so she can carry it into the townhouse, he soundlessly holds out his arms so he can help her carry the things in. She wordlessly hands him the luggage so she can wake up Jack. When she has him in her arms and Jack is in that place that small children go when they are neither awake nor asleep, and turns away from him, she makes her way into his town house.

Instead of talking to Peeta about what almost happened outside, she walks to the couch in his living room and sits down with a slowly awakening Jack. Opening his eyes, Jack slowly looks around the room. His eyes light up when they see Peeta, despite not recognizing anything else. “Mommy, is that Peeta? Are we at his house?”

She squeezes him tight, “Yes Bear. Remember I told you when we left home, that we are going to Peeta’s house so he can take us to go see the sharks at the aquarium.”

Meeting Peeta’s eyes across the room, Jack wiggles out of his mommy’s arms, is up in a flash, and attaches himself around Peeta’s legs. Katniss isn’t sure if Jack climbs up into Peeta’s arms, or if Peeta picks him up, but, before she knows it, Jack gives Peeta one of his big, big hugs. She watches Peeta’s eyes to see if she still knows him as well as she thinks she does, and yes there are tears in his eyes as well as hers.

Peeta is amazed at how Jack feels in his arms. There is only one other person who ever made him feel like a hug could be compared to coming home, and that is this little boy’s mommy. Jack’s little arms around his neck give him what he thinks is the best hug in the world. Feeling peace and unexpected contentment wash over him, he can’t help the tears that come to his eyes. His hand automatically comes to rub Jack’s back. Realizing that Jack isn’t going to let him go, Peeta slowly makes his way over to where Katniss is still sitting on the couch. Sinking down beside her, he keeps rubbing. “Hey. Buddy.” He pulls away slightly so he can try to see Jack’s face and what he sees there takes his breath away. He can tell some of it is Jack waking up, but there is something else there, too. He just can’t put his finger on it.

“What’s a matter?” they both ask at the same time.

He gives both of them one of his wonderful smiles, “Nothing Mommy. I am just glad to see Peeta. I missed him so much. I even dreamed about him last night.”

“You did?” asks Peeta. “What was the dream about?”

“I can’t remember all of it,” he mummers. “But me and you, we played a lot.” He looks at Katniss. “You were playing too, Mommy. It was a good dream.”

Katniss reaches out to her son and runs her fingers through his Mellark curls with a smile she reserves only for Jack. Peeta is momentarily swept away when he sees how much more beautiful that makes her. He feels a sudden longing for her to run her fingers through his hair the same way. “It sounds like a wonderful dream. Where were we in the dream?”  
Leaning into his Mommy’s scratching, he says, “We were at Papa’s cabin. We even went swimming in the lake.”

She laughs, “Yes Bear, you like to swim in Papa’s lake. We will be taking Peeta there soon. I think he might be moving into the cabin for a little while.”

Sitting up straighter in Peeta’s lap, he squeezes Peeta’s neck again in excitement. “You are going to live at my cabin? Can I live there too?”

“Now Bear, Peeta will be living there so he can go to work in Charlotte. We will see him when we see him.”

Peeta glances at Katniss before he looks at Jack. “You can visit anytime you want to, Jack. Just get Mommy to bring you, and we can hang out and play.”

Jack leans over to whisper to Katniss, “Mommy, I need to pee.”

Katniss takes him over to the bathroom and offers to help him. After reminding Mommy that he is a “big boy” she walks back into the living room. There she finds Peeta picking up their bags in order to take them upstairs. She quickly crosses to help him. “Oh Peeta, I can get those.”

“Katniss, its nothing, the bedrooms are upstairs. The guest room only has a full bed in it, so I’m going to sleep in there. You and Jack can sleep in my room, since it has a queen bed in there. I figured you would want to sleep with him and you have more room.” 

She starts blushing at the thought of being in his bed again. Even if it’s with their son. “No Peeta, we can’t take your bed from you. We can sleep in the guest room.”

Snickering at her, “I figured that you would say that. I already moved some of my stuff in there so it’s too late.”

She rolls her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Peeta says. Jack has returned from the bathroom and Peeta reaches over to ruffle Jack’s hair. He thinks to himself that he loves the soft texture of it, and starts up the stairs with the luggage. “Follow me. I will give you the grand tour.”

While Peeta is showing them around his three bedroom townhouse, she can’t help but notice that there is no color at all. The walls are white, the carpet and curtains are beige. “Hey Peeta,” he turns to look at her, “Why is it so white and beige in here? I know once you made your mom mad when you took your allowance and painted your bedroom sunset orange because you could stand the white walls anymore.”

Running his fingers through his hair he sighs, “Would you believe me if I said I have been too busy working? I moved here a year ago when the company said I could live in it and I work anywhere from 50 to 60 hours a week.”

She sees the worn out look in Peeta’s eyes and knows that he is telling the truth. Wanting to say something or even touch him she pushes those thoughts away. Instead she says, “I understand that. When I was opening the shop and leading hikes, all I did was work.” She reaches out to place her hand on the top of Jack’s head, almost to remind herself that he is still there and to ground herself. “Thankfully he was small enough to put in a sling and take along with me.”

She sees the look that he gets on his face when he wants to know more, but instead he says, “I know you just got out of the Jeep, but would you like to take Jack somewhere to run off some energy and to get some lunch? I’m going to fix one of your favorites for supper tonight so we will come back here and eat later.”

“Oh really?” she says with a small smile. “And what is for supper then?”

Smiling back, he replies, “Lamb stew and cheese buns.”

When Jack hears this, he gets a big smile. “Mommy, how did he know that you like that?”

“Bear, I told you Peeta is an old friend of mine. And now he is a friend of yours. And friends know what each other’s favorite things are.” 

Peeta clears his throat, “Well I’m hungry. Let’s go find something to eat and go play.”

As they are walking out the door, Peeta grabs a blanket so they can eat at the picnic area at Shorty Howell and then let Jack play. Katniss throws him her keys to the Jeep telling him that he knows the traffic better and he knows where he is going so he can drive. They use the drive-through of a favorite fast food restaurant that Katniss and Jack never get to eat enough of because there aren’t any close to where they live, then head to the park. Jack inhales his chicken nuggets and runs to play with the other kids while Katniss and Peeta sit and watch. They talk while they watch Jack play, but it’s about who has gotten married and had kids and moved out of their small hometown. It’s as if Peeta remembers not to ask Katniss the questions he wants to right now, and she is thankful that he is waiting until later. 

It’s a little later, when Katniss gathers Jack up. Peeta throws away their garbage, and they stop at the grocery store on the way back to the townhouse. Picking up some snacks for the aquarium tomorrow and some extra things for dinner, they have a little disagreement about paying. Katniss reminds him that she can pay; the shop is doing very well, and he reminds her that they are his company and after 4 years of working 55 hour weeks, he needs someone to spend his money on. And he wants it to be them. Katniss agrees with a huffed, “Fine, then.” And they make their way back to the Jeep. 

Katniss unpacks Jack’s toys once they get back to the townhouse. She puts in his favorite DVD before she goes to help Peeta in the kitchen. She is not surprised all when they cook together like they did years ago when her mom worked the late shift and they cooked for Prim; She chops while he makes the bread. She is not afraid to tell him that she still knows the ingredients of cheese buns and she is happy to see them on the counter. It’s about this time that Jack wonders into the kitchen and pulls up a chair beside Peeta and announces that he wants to help. With a smile bigger than the sunrise, Peeta gives his some dough and shows him how to knead it. She watches them while they work, and it makes her heart hurt for them not having this time together before now. 

They take a walk around the gated community where Peeta lives after dinner. Even Peeta is surprised when they find a playground that he didn’t know was there as Jack runs off to play on the swings. Glad that he is going to get to run off some extra energy before bed, they let him play until the sun goes down. When they finally catch him, Jack begs Peeta to carry him back to the town house and, before Katniss can tell Jack no, he is up Peeta’s shoulders enjoying the view. 

They make short work of getting Jack into his bath, and then in to Peeta’s bed before making their way down stairs. Sitting on the couch, Katniss takes her shoes off and folds her legs under her as she takes a deep breath and rests her head on the cushion. Chuckling at her, Peeta asks, “I need a beer. Would you like one or I have wine too…”

“Wine,” she blushes slightly for how fast she replied. “Wine sounds really good, Peeta. Thank you.”

He disappears into the kitchen and she can hear the clinking of the glassware. She closes her eyes for just a moment until she hears him clear his throat. She gives him a grateful smile and sips in enjoyment while she watches him sit on the opposite end of the couch. “I love Jack. Don’t get me wrong. But he has also taught me how to enjoy the peace and quiet.”

He chuckles with her, “Yes I can see that. He has a lot of energy.”

“Yes. I’m glad that Madge and Gale are close. Jack and Daniel can run off their energy with one another.”

“How far apart are they? Wasn’t Madge pregnant at graduation?” He glances at her while he approaches this carefully.

“Well I was too. I just didn’t want you to see me. Daniel was born in October, then Jack that January. They are 3 months apart.” 

“I bet that’s nice having the boys so close in age. Do they play a lot together?”

Katniss nods. “Oh, yes. Especially in the summer. They are both in Annie’s class at the preschool and are inseparable there. But they both play with the other kids too. That’s why when Jack was telling you about Hailey, I was surprised that he knows another kid’s name in his class.” 

Peeta smiles, “Can I ask you something and you not get upset? It’s just you haven’t mentioned it, so I was wondering…”

“It’s ok, Peeta. What is it?”

“When are you going to tell Jack that I’m his father? You haven’t said when you are going to tell him, and I would like to be there…”

She sighs, “I’ve been thinking about it too. Honestly, I was going to wait until you were settled in your new place so we can figure out a schedule for sharing custody.” She glances at where he is watching her from the other side of the couch. And decides to ask the question that she has been thinking too much about, “Do you think we need to get a lawyer?”

“I haven’t really thought about it Katniss.” He scoots closer to her and lays his hand on her arm before he continues, “Don’t think about all of that stuff right now. I think we should take this a day at a time, a weekend at a time and see what happens. As for telling Jack, I will stand behind what you decide. I might be his dad, but you are his mommy. I haven’t been there. You might tell him, and then he decide that he doesn’t want anything else to do with me.”

“Peeta don’t talk like that! He’s only four. He is going to be excited when we tell him. I think we should wait until later, though.”

Peeta gives her arm a squeeze and then reaches for her empty wine glass. “Would you like some more? I think I want another beer.”

“Yes, please. Are there anymore cheese buns left?” 

He grins when he comes back from the kitchen with the bottle of wine, a beer and the cheese buns. “I still remember how to make you happy…”

Katniss’s eyes grow big and she gives a nervous cough at his words but still manages to say, “Wine and cheese buns. I can be happy with that.” she reaches for where Peeta has set them down on the coffee table.

He sits and drinks some of his beer, and asks, “Can I ask another question?”

She nods around a bite of the bread and then washes it down with a sip of wine. “What?”

“How is it that Jack knows Dad?”

“Do you remember me saying that my water broke at the grocery store?” Peeta gives her a nod and so she continues, “It was so cold that day. I got a buggy and went to go get some apples. I accidently collided with Dad’s buggy, and that’s when my water broke.”

Peeta nods, “You said something about that last weekend.”

“Mom had started working in Charlotte and Prim was taking a class in Asheville. I wasn’t due for another two weeks. So Graham drove my Jeep to the hospital for me. He called Mom and Prim for me, and actually stayed with me until Jack was born. About three weeks later, he came by to visit Jack. Graham promised that he wouldn’t say anything to you until I was ready to tell you.” She knows that when that little vein in Peeta’s forehead throbs like that, and he flexes the muscle in his jaw, that he’s upset. She isn’t sure what she should do, so she keeps talking, “When Jack was little he would come by the house. But when Jack got older, would meet in the park when we could. Oh Peeta, I know you are upset. I really don’t know what to say except that I’m really sorry. And you did ask.”

Peeta’s eyes focus on her again. With the vein still throbbing and that muscle still flexing, he slowly says, “It’s not you Katniss. It’s me. I fucked up. It seems like everything that is remotely good in my life gets away from me, one way or another. Either I fuck it up or someone else takes it from me. I don’t understand Dad keeping something like this away from me, but I guess we haven’t been close in a long time.” He gives a big sigh and drinks more from his bottle. “I have felt so alone for so long. I figured taking the Charlotte job would help with that…”

Katniss reaches over and places her hand on his arm, trying to comfort him somehow. “It’s like you said, we are going to do this one day at a time. You have Jack now. And trust me, Jack won’t let you be lonely for too long. At least he hasn’t let me.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok here we go with the thank you’s. I need to thank sohypothetically. Without her, I would have already quit. This can be really hard sometimes… to jojo for scheming and adding to the madness with me. Allium and nonnie for giving a quick read through.   
> Now before you start, I do have some business to take care of. I don’t own anything. Just Jack  at least this version of him. Someone asked about the names that I am using. There are several fanfics that have named Katniss’s dad Jack. So I borrowed that name too. As for Daniel, it just came when I first started writing. I know it seems kind of boring for a grandson of a Hazette, son of Gale, with Uncle’s named Rory and Vick and an aunt Posy, to be named Daniel, but he is also Madge’s son. And you will start to see more of him too in the coming chapters. And when I was writing chapter 6, and had Katniss first of all reaching for a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, I realized what I did. (I did change it to Jim Beam) now… there are some things coming up in this chapter that may or may not have really happened. I may have changed the name’s to protect the innocent.   
> So thank you dear reader for coming back. Your numbers humble me. Thank you. Thank you to the ones who gave kudos, and have added me and Jack to your subscriptions list.

The next morning, Katniss awakens to a very excited little boy. He won’t stop chattering about how he needs to get dressed in his favorite Superman shirt and his cape so he can go see the sharks and the octopus and the jelly fish that his Ms. Annie told him to look for and she had told him that he has to count everyone one of them so he could can back to his class to tell them how many there were in the big tank and he is hungry and needs to go pee and could Mommy please come with him because he can’t remember where Peeta said the bathroom is and is Peeta awake yet and after he went to the bathroom could they go see if Peeta was awake so they could go eat breakfast that Peeta was going to make for them and is Mommy getting up now please… he did after all have to do to the bathroom…

Picking her head up, Katniss points to the door leading into Peeta’s bathroom. “Bear, Peeta’s bathroom is through that door. And you need to remember to breathe when you talk that fast.”

“Mommy, I am breathing.” Jack says over his shoulder as he goes into the bathroom. 

Katniss lays her head down again on that damn pillow that smells too much like Peeta. She doesn’t want to admit that she slept better than she has in a long time, dreaming about a future with Peeta. She supposes that it’s better than what she usually dreams about him; the dreams where he is screaming at her and taking Jack away from her. She passes Jack coming out of the bathroom. 

“Jack, stay in here and wait for me and then we will go see if Peeta is asleep. Ok?”

“Yes, Mommy,” he says as he sits on the bed. “Hurry, I’m hungry…”

Katniss is thankful that he remembers their talk about giving Mommy privacy in the bathroom now that he is a big boy. She hurries anyway. 

They make their way out into the hallway and she points out to Jack that Peeta’s door is open so he must already be downstairs. The wonderful smell that greets her is one she hasn’t smelled in at least five years. “Come on Jack. Peeta has something yummy for us this morning.” 

The sight that greets her in the kitchen is a most familiar one. It’s Peeta with his bed-head curls sticking straight up from where he hasn’t showered yet, in his white t-shirt that he still wears to bed when it’s chilly and a pair of shorts that are worn in all of the right places. Over all of that is his old apron that has a faded Mellark’s bakery logo barely visible through the liberal dusting of flour. His face lights up when he sees them, and hers lights up even more when she sees the doughnuts on the counter. 

Jack grabs a chair and drags it to the counter so he can get a better look. “Peeta! Are those doughnuts? Did you make all of them?”

“Good morning, buddy,” Peeta greets him. “Yes I did. I told you I worked at the bakery with Dad… Mr. Graham. He taught he how to make doughnuts. I heard that you like them, so I made some for you and Mommy. Is that alright?”

“That’s great, Peeta! I just wish you would have waited for me. I would have liked to help you.”

“I’m sorry, Jack,” Peeta apologizes. “Next time, buddy. I promise you can help me since you let me help you and Mommy make pancakes.” Peeta then seeks her out where she is still standing in the doorway of the kitchen. “Good morning, Katniss,” He mummers as she feels his gaze take in her bed-head and her tank top and boxers. “How did you sleep?”  
How did she sleep? She can’t tell him that she hasn’t slept that well since he was in her bed holding her in his arms all night long. Instead she settles on, “Good, except when Jack here was trying to sleep on top of me.”

“Mommy, I don’t do that!”

“Yes, you do. You just don’t remember it.” She goes to pick up her favorite kind of doughnut, plain with a simple sugar glaze, “Peeta, we would have been happy with cereal. Thank you for this.” Peeta gives her his sleepy but happy smile. Wait, when did she put his smiles into categories?

“It’s been so long since I’ve baked, much less made doughnuts for anyone, I wanted to. I don’t mind a bit.”

“You haven’t been baking? When was the last time?”

She watches him swallow nervously, and Peeta looks at Jack before he answers, “You, Katniss. You were the last one I made anything for.” 

She knows how much he loves to create, whether it’s a painting or baking, so for her to hear him say that is shocking. She doesn’t know what to say in return, so she instead asks   
Jack, “Is the doughnut good?” he gives her a nod in reply because his mouth is full. “Peeta, do you mind hanging out with Jack for a minute so I can jump in the shower?”

“No, go ahead. Jack and I will be ok. Won’t we?”

Since his mouth is still full, all Jack can do is nod at her before she turns to go. She touches the top of his head, and says, “Just one more, ok, Bear?”

He takes a big drink of milk before he says, “But, Mommy, they are so good.”

“I, know baby, but we have a busy day, and you don’t need a tummy ache.” She looks up to Peeta and gives him a quick, “Thank you,” before she runs back upstairs. 

kpkpkpkpkp

They make to the aquarium by eleven a.m., and Peeta takes them to Thresh’s office for the tour. Thresh is on the phone but quickly makes excuses, greets them and introduces them to Rue, his personal assistant. Since Thresh is in the middle of something, he gives Rue the task of taking them around the workplace. With Jack chatting excitedly about everything he sees, and Rue’s cheery voice and demeanor, they know it’s going to be a good day. Jack watches in silent awe when the sharks swim by in their tank, he counts as many jelly fish as he can like Ms. Annie asked him to, and falls in love with the octopuses. He stands totally still in awe when he spots the sea horses. Katniss estimates it’s the longest he has stood still today. More significantly, he’s quiet. That’s how Katniss knows her Bear is in love with the ocean and its bounty of life. 

By the time Rue has lead them through all of the exhibits, it is four o’clock and they have a very sleepy Jack. They know that Jack won’t be able to go to the museum too, so they decide to head back to Peeta’s townhouse. Katniss gets Jack buckled up in his seat and before they pull out of the parking lot, he is asleep. They each take a moment to enjoy the peace, before they find themselves starting to talk at the same time. Feeling at ease with him, she gives him a smile and says, “Go ahead. What are you going to say?”  
He grips the steering wheel and checks the mirrors before he changes lanes on I-85, glancing at her before looking again at the road, “Thank you for letting me take Jack to the aquarium today. I know it isn’t easy for you to share him with me.” He reaches for her hand and before she realizes what he is doing, he brings her knuckles up to his mouth for a quick kiss, he puts her hand back on her thigh and says, “What were you going to say?”

Honestly, the kiss made her forget what she was going to say, so she says, “I’m sorry we didn’t go to the museum like you wanted. Jack was just too tired. He wouldn’t have been very good company.”

Peeta chuckles. “Any day spent with the two of you is a wonderful day no matter how we spend it. I was wondering though, what time are you wanting to leave tomorrow to go   
back home?”

“Oh, I guess around lunchtime? Or even about ten? That way we can get home and rest some before Monday?”

Returning to the townhouse, Peeta wakes up a sleepy boy when he picks him up to carry him into the house. They cook dinner, and watch one of Jack’s favorite movies that Peeta hasn’t seen yet. This time it is much easier to get him into the bed since he is so very tired he instantly falls asleep as soon as his parents turn out the light. Peeta motions for Katniss to follow him back down stairs. He pulls out the old deck of cards they used to play with years ago out of the cabinet in the corner. Katniss recognized the Gatlinburg logo on the pack immediately. Madge had thrown it at her after she married Gale there, saying that it was her maid of honor’s gift for being in their quickie wedding. 

“I wondered what happened to these cards. I thought they were lost for forever.” 

Shuffling them together, Peeta says, “Somehow I ended up with them. I still don’t know how. We spent all of our time at your house.”

Katniss smiles a little at the memories. “Remember that time we scared Prim? She didn’t talk to us for a week.”

Peeta deals, “I remember that. Getting Rory to jump out at her after she had went to bed was hilarious. There was another joke too, wasn’t there?”

“No she played the joke on you. She replaced all of the sugar with salt, so when you went to bake some chocolate biscuits for breakfast, they were just wrong. They didn’t rise, they were hard as rocks and we couldn’t eat them. You and Gale would throw them so I could use them as practice skeet before I went to the archery nationals that year.” Katniss giggles.

“I remember those biscuits. I’m surprised that I even still tried to bake after that. I thought for sure it was all my fault. They almost gave me a complex.” He laughs. 

“Ha! If I remember correctly, it was right after that you had to bake that big cake for Cinna over in the next town. Wasn’t it like ten layers or something like that? Didn’t you even tell your dad that you wouldn’t do it unless your mom wasn’t in the shop?”

Peeta runs his fingers through his hair. “I just couldn’t work on something that big with her there. She would stand there and nitpick and bitch about every little thing that I would do to a cake.”

Sensing where the conservation could go, she takes control so it doesn’t. Laying her hand on his arm to give him the comfort that she can. “Remember sitting in town? That was always so much fun.”

“That was the best…” Peeta says with a wistful smile. 

Katniss gives his arm a squeeze. “Do you remember climbing up Sae’s Feed and Seed water tower?”

“My God, do I ever! We could see the entire town from up there!”

Laughing, Katniss says, “I thought we were going to jail that night.”

Still laughing Peeta replies, “If it hadn’t been for Gale doing his ride along for school we would have. I think he saw us up there, and told Darius to drive the other way so he wouldn’t see us. The hardest part was coming back down.”

“Oh, now Peeta, the ladder wasn’t too hard to see in the dark. We helped each other.”

“That isn’t the reason why it was so hard to come down.” He whispers all of a sudden very serious.

“It was dark but it wasn’t that dark…” Katniss states in confusion.

He has that look again like he wants to do something but he knows he can’t. “It was just me and you up on that water tower. It seemed like we were the only people in the world up there. Yes, I know it was one a.m. but for the ten minutes we were up there, the world was perfect.”

Katniss remembers that night. Finnick had dared them that they wouldn’t climb up there. It was peaceful and, while it was dark, it had been a full moon and she could see everything. “We were still in high school then. It was our senior year wasn’t it?”

“Yea, even then I thought you were the most wonderful girl in the world. And even if I could just be your friend for the rest of our lives, I would be happy with getting to be in your life. Thank you, again, for letting me get to know Jack.”

She doesn’t know what to do when he says things like that. “Peeta,” she says meeting his eyes, “Jack had a lot of fun today. Thank you for taking us.” Not ready for where this conservation is going, she says, “Hey remember that night when we walked the train trestle almost all the way through the tunnel with only a miniature flashlight?”

Peeta decides to allow her once again to steer the conservation away from anything too heavy. “I still can’t believe that we did that! I didn’t think Annie was going to make it across the trestle, and then to actually go into the tunnel at midnight. Whose idea was it anyway to go there?”

“I think it was Finnick’s? Didn’t his Mamaw Mags tell him something about workers being buried in the cave? And he talked us into going to see if there was any ghosts?” Katniss chuckles at the memory. “Annie didn’t want to go in the first place, then when we got to the tunnel, Finn had to carry her in. she had her hands over her eyes the entire time. Jo thought we were stupid for going, and then Thom jumped out and grabbed her in the middle of the tunnel and she broke his nose. You were ready to leave him there for being that stupid for scaring Jo in the first place.”

“Thom wasn’t the smartest. What is Jo up to these days? I haven’t seen her since I left.”

“Johanna is actually working in Canada as a lumber broker. She usually comes home around Christmas. She says that it’s to warm up before it gets really cold up there. She loves it.”

“Well she always did like being in the woods with you.”

Katniss says with a laugh, “She liked to go out there and throw axes at squirrels. What worried me is that she stopped missing them.” She looks over Peeta’s shoulder at the clock on the microwave, “Oh crap! It’s one o’clock in the morning!”

Peeta looks at the clock behind him. “Oh, wow it is. I know you are tired…”

“Oh but it’s you who was right behind Jack all day. I know you are tired too.”

Peeta stands, walks over to the light switch on the wall and turns it off. By this time Katniss is standing up and pushing her chair in so she can go to bed too. Peeta reaches for her hand, tucks it in his elbow and walks her upstairs. She giggles when he stops in front of his door and gives he gives her a little bow. “My dear, sleep well. And I will see you in the morning.”

Katniss hesitates for just a minute before she wraps arms around his neck and then pulls away just as quickly. Before he can say anything about the hug, she goes into the bedroom and shuts the door behind her. 

The bedside lamp is still on and Jack is asleep. She creeps into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. On her way to the bed, she passes Peeta’s closet. Without thinking what she’s doing she opens the door and turns on the light. It’s a good-sized walk-in closet. “This would be big enough for my clothes too,” she thinks before she can stop herself. Shaking her head to help get rid of those thoughts, she takes the couple of steps to where his t-shirts are hanging up. She brings her hands up and gathers some together and brings them to her nose. Breathing deeply, she lets the aroma wash over her. She feels those damn tears come again. They have lost so much. ‘Is it too late to get it back?’ she wonders. She even pulls one of his shirts off of the hanger, turns off the light and goes to join Jack in the bed. With Peeta’s shirt pressed up against her nose she drifts off to sleep…

kpkpkpkpkpkp

She is lying beside Peeta in the most wonderful dream, with her nose buried in his chest, smelling his scent. He starts to play with her hair as she moves up her nose to smell his scent at his neck. She drags her nose across the pulse point and gives it a soft kiss because she knows that he is extra ticklish at that spot. She doesn’t hear his trademark chuckle, and starts to rise up so she can see his face. She is stopped by his fingers, which are still tangled in her hair. She feels the pull and then a voice that isn’t Peeta’s says, “Mommy, be still. I have your hair.”

Her eyes fly open and she half-way turns to where she sees Jack lying behind her holding on to her braid. He always did that when he still slept with her. He must have been really tired for him to be holding her hair like that. Katniss gently lays back down and helps Jack untangle himself, then turns over so she can see him, “Are you ok, Bear?”

Jack snuggles closer so that his face is only inches away from hers. She can smell his little boy morning breath. “I good Mommy. Are we going home today?”

She scoots closer so that their noses almost touch. “Yes, Bear.” She whispers, “Is that ok with you?”

“Yes, Mommy. But I’m not ready to stop playing with Peeta. Can he come home with us so he can play in my clubhouse with me?”

“We’ll just have to see. Peeta might be come see us next weekend.” A look of confusion passes across Jack’s face and he starts to say something before she interrupts him, “We just have to wait and see. He is getting ready to start moving. I’m not sure how long that is going to take.”

“K, Mommy. But he really does like to play with me, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, bear. I think he does. What’s a matter? Something is wrong…” she says as she worries about him. 

“Nothing, Mommy. I just wish I could play with Peeta all the time. You can go do the hikes and Peeta can fix you supper and I can help him.” He reaches over and puts his little hand on her cheek.

“Bear, why do you like Peeta so much?”

“Mommy, I told you! He listens to me. He likes to draw like I do. He likes my clubhouse. I want to be his friend.”

“I know you do.” She says smiling to herself. “And I know he wants to be yours. We need to get up. We need to start going home soon.”

“Mommy! We can’t go home today! I gotta play with Peeta some more. He still needs to draw with me.” Jack said.

“Jack you know we have to go back today. Posy and Vick might need some help and Peeta has to start packing.”

“But Mommy…”

“Jack, let’s go and see what Peeta is doing. He might have made more doughnuts…”

kpkpkpkpkp

Katniss and Jack don’t go back Sunday. Peeta makes them waffles (and Katniss and Peeta both don’t miss that this is the second Sunday in a row they are eating breakfast together. Katniss tries not to panic at the thought, while Peeta thinks he could get used to this.) While they eat, Peeta tells them that he has tickets for Six Flags that are in danger of going to waste. Jack doesn’t know what Six Flags is, but it means spending the day with Mommy and one of his new favorite people. So, when Jack turns to beg her for permission to go, she really can’t tell him no. especially since Peeta looks like he’s about to join in. she calls Posy and Vick to see if they can handle the Monday morning opening stuff until she can get there. 

They head to Six Flags, where they ride all of the rides that Jack could possibly want. When Katniss mentions that it’s about time to go, Jack asks if he could ride just one more.   
Katniss tries to explain to him that they are going to ride the sky buckets across the park so they can leave.

Jack is so tired that tears well in his eyes when he says, “Mommy can’t I just ride the airplanes one more time? Please mommy?”

Katniss is about to give in and let him ride just one more ride when Jack decides he is tired of waiting for her answer. He stomps his foot and throws down the stuffed dog Peeta helped him win. 

“Young man, you may not stomp your foot at me. Pick up the dog, it’s time to go.”

“No, Mommy. I’m going to ride the airplanes.”

“No, Jack,” she says trying to keep her voice calm. “I said its time to go. You may not stomp your foot at me, and you may not treat your toys that way. Now pick it up and let’s go.”  
Jack, looks down, picks up his stuffed dog, and says to her, “If my daddy was here he would let me ride more rides.” He walks off towards the sky buckets.

Katniss feels her stomach drop at his words. Not wanting to look at Peeta, she follows Jack to where the line starts. The joyful mood of the day is gone, chased away by Jack’s words. By the time they have made their way back across the park to Katniss’s Jeep, Jack is sound asleep on Peeta’s shoulder with the stuffed dog clutched tightly against his chest. Peeta buckles him up, and joins Katniss.

Her mind races trying to think of something to say to Peeta when he interrupts her thoughts, “I’m sorry he said those things to you. He doesn’t know that he hurts you when he says those things.”

She looks at his face as he gets them on the road to the townhouse. Looking for something in his expression to give her a clue as to what he is feeling, she says, “Its ok. He is over tired from yesterday and today. I’m sorry you had to see one of his meltdowns. And I’m sorry you had to hear what he said.”

“It’s ok. I understand your reasoning for not telling him yet. But this is something that all of us have to get used to. And it’s going to take time. I just hope that he accepts me as…” he glances in the rearview mirror to make sure that Jack is really asleep before he finishes, “His father.” He whispers. 

“When we do tell him, he is going to be so excited. He really is. I just hope that he doesn’t get mad at me.” She says fighting the sudden tears. She thought she was ready for Peeta to come back into her life. After this weekend, she isn’t so sure. It feels so good being with him. Many times it is like the mess with Glimmer had never happened. 

Peeta makes a sudden turn into a fast food parking lot. Putting the Jeep into park, he turns to look at her. “You are a great mom,” he says loud enough so she can hear him but low enough so he won’t wake up Jack. “Don’t ever doubt that. That sweet boy of yours loves you more than anything. And you are protecting him. He might not understand everything at first, but one day he will. We will be there to help him through this. I will do anything and everything I can to help you, too.” She starts to protest at those words, but he continues, “I’m not just talking about money. But emotional support too. I’m ready to be his dad. We are going to do this one day at a time, like you said, until we figure this out.”

She doesn’t trust her voice because of the tears running down her face. All she can do is nod. Peeta reaches over and gives her hand a squeeze and then starts to drive again.  
Peeta makes one more stop- this time at a grocery store. He tells Katniss to stay put while he runs in. she is glad for the time to think. A lot has happened. He quickly comes back and continues on the way back to the townhouse. Katniss watches the buildings rush by as Peeta drives. A lot has happened this weekend and she still isn’t sure what is going on. She absolutely hates that Peeta heard what Jack said. She knows that when he builds up his father in his head and heart like that, it’s not good. Especially since Peeta is now here. Peeta is a great guy, and all that, but he isn’t the super hero that Jack sometimes wishes for. Maybe she needs to talk to Annie? She is, after all, the one with the degree. And didn’t she do some kind of internship with a child psychologist?

Her thoughts are interrupted when Peeta pulls up to the gate and stops to enter his code. The gate swings open and he pulls over to his townhouse. Without saying a word, Peeta goes to pick up Jack and motions for Katniss to pick up the groceries. He hands her the keys and follows her up the walk to the front door. When they enter, she motions for Peeta to just lay Jack down on the couch instead of walking him all the way to the bedroom. She goes into the kitchen to put the food up, and she hears him behind her. She is getting ready to say something about how loud he still is when she notices what she is pulling out of the bags: a package of chicken and some oranges. With a questioning look, she turns to Peeta. 

“It’s a new recipe. I heard Cato talking at work about how he had taken Clove out to a new restaurant and it sounded so good, I came up with what I’m going to fix. It’s quick and easy.” He steps around her to the drawer to get his knife and his cutting board so he can start chopping everything up. 

“Can I help?” she whispers.

“Why don’t you go get cleaned up. I can get this.”

She gives a quiet, “Thank you.” She makes her way upstairs taking her purse with her. She goes into Peeta’s bedroom she pulls out her cell phone, scrolls quickly through the names, and types,

Katniss: How are you?

Annie: Hey!! I’m alright. Are you and Jack home?

Katniss: No actually we stayed one more day, so Jack won’t be at school tomorrow. Can we get together without Jack and have a talk? I think I need some help.

Annie: You know if there is anything I can do, I will. Is everything ok?

Katniss: I think so? I don’t want to hurt anyone else if I can help it. I just need to make sure I’m doing this right…

Annie: You are the mama… you do what you feel like you need to do. I’ll see you Tuesday, maybe we can talk then? If you want, bring Madge?

Katniss: Thanks! I’ll see you Tuesday. 

Annie: Oh and Finnick said that he wants all of the juicy details when you get back. 

Katniss: Lol! He will be the first one I tell all of my secrets to, but he already knows them all… ;)

Annie: Ha! Yes, he does. 

Katniss: I’ll see you Tuesday…

Annie: Sounds good. Be careful driving back. 

Katniss: I will. Thanks again.

As she is plugging in her charger, she hears heavy footsteps coming down the hallway. She gives him a weak smile and wonders what he wants as he comes into the room. He starts to sit on the bed beside her, but instead goes over to the easy chair he has in the corner. 

Looking around nervously he says, “The chicken will be ready in about an hour. Are you ok? You don’t look ok.”

Reaching up to rub her temple, “I feel like I’m trying to get a headache. I just hope it’s a hungry headache and not stress...”

Peeta goes into the bathroom and comes back with a hot washcloth and gives it to her. Not saying a word, he arranges the pillows on the bed and mutters, “I’ll be right back…” 

He comes back in a minute with one of the cheese buns he made and a glass of iced tea. He sits beside her on the bed where she has already reclined on the pillows with the washcloth across her forehead and watches her as she takes a bite. She wants to say something, but can’t find the words. Instead she watches him for a minute. 

She realizes that he has finally grown into his face. The baby fat that used to be there around his cheek bones has faded away. She wonders if Jack will look like this when he is Peeta’s age, since everything else of his is so much like Peeta’s. She looks into Peeta’s eyes and sees his eyelashes. She was always so jealous of his eyelashes. It isn’t fair that a boy, no a man, would have eyelashes so perfect. 

She feels herself go red when she realizes that Peeta is talking to her. “I’m sorry what did you say?”

“I said to close your eyes and rest, it will help you feel better. I’ll come and get you when dinner is ready…”

He starts to stand but she reaches out and grabs his arm. “Wait… can you stay and talk to me for a minute? Or better yet, what have you been sketching lately?”

He walks over to the bookshelf, picks up the notebook that is lying there, and comes back to sit by her. “I really don’t have time to sketch much, but I have been, do you remember that project we had in high school where we had to collect leaves and categorize them?”

She gives a little nod and he continues, “Well, I was looking for something to help me to relax and I came across some old notebooks where I had practiced drawing leaves. So I drew a couple of them and before, I knew it, I had filled up half of this notebook.”

Katniss adjusts the washcloth on her head and closes her eyes. Before she goes to sleep she says before she can stop herself, “Stay with me?”

And then she is fast asleep before she hears Peeta’s reply. 

kpkpkpkpkpkpkp

She isn’t sure how long she sleeps. All she knows is that, when she wakes, there is a little warm body lying on top of her, whispering to someone else in the room. She slowly opens her eyes and see’s Peeta and Jack on the bed with her. Peeta sits on the other side, Jack is on top of her. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Mommy! You must have been tired!” Jack wiggles around so he can see her eyes. “I’m sorry for stomping my feet at Six Flags.”

“Thank you, Jack.” She says and then gives him a kiss and then gives Peeta a questioning look.

“Not long. Maybe forty-five minutes? Jack woke up about fifteen minutes ago and helped me finish supper. Then we came up here to check on you. Its ready, if you are ready to eat.”

Rubbing her eyes, she sits up with Jack rolling off of her onto the bed. “Let me go freshen up and I’ll be downstairs, ok?”

Peeta picks up Jack, throws him over his shoulder, and says in a silly voice that Katniss has never heard before, “Come on Mr. Jack. Let’s go fix Mommy a plate of the chicken yumminess that awaits her downstairs.” He walks out into the hallway followed by Jack’s giggles as they go down stairs. 

She joins them several minutes later just as Jack is setting the glasses on the table. “Where do you want me to sit, Jack?”

“Sit there, Mommy. I’ll sit beside you, and Peeta will sit beside me. Doesn’t Peeta have a little table?”

Peeta laughs, “Jack, can you believe that since I moved in here, you and Mommy are the only ones I’ve had over? That is why I have a little square table.”

He then brings over the plates of food. On each plate is a bed of rice, topped by a delicious-smelling piece of chicken smothered in a sauce that had pieces of oranges in it. Next   
to the chicken are new baby peas with baby onions and fresh rolls made to look like flowers. 

“Jack did you help Peeta with this?” she asks. It all looks so amazing and she is proud that Peeta let Jack help him. 

Jack sits up a little straighter in his chair. “Yes, Mommy. I measured the rice and helped cut out the flowers for the rolls. And then I helped put the rolls on the pan. I wanted to stir it up, but Peeta said I can’t stir until I can reach the pot with my feet on the floor.”

Katniss looks to Peeta with a question so he cuts in, “it was a rule Dad had. We never got burnt so I figured it was a good rule.”

Picking up her fork, she says, “It sounds like a very good rule. Can we eat?”

Jack and Peeta pick up their forks too, and answer her by digging in.

After dinner, Katniss does the dishes while Peeta sketches with Jack at the table behind her. She tries not to get lost in her thoughts but her mind wanders to everything that is happening. All of this has been very overwhelming, but she is glad that Jack has spent some time with Peeta, even if he thinks Peeta is just a new friend. When she finishes, she turns to see the blonde heads bent over the paper and pencils on the table. They are being very quiet. She steps closer so she can peek over Jack’s shoulder to see what they are doing. To her surprise, Jack is drawing a picture of her. Well she can see where Peeta has drawn the basic outline, but what he is showing Jack now is how to add detail. She watches amazed as Jack starts to fill in the details of her pants and then he moves on to the braid she wears over her right shoulder. She smiles at the pride that is on Peeta’s face. She decides to leave them alone and heads to the couch to read that paperback she put in her purse at the last minute. 

Katniss reads several chapters before the boys interrupt her. Jack comes bouncing beside her and slowly hands her the finished picture. It takes her breath away. It’s still a four-year old’s picture, but with the details that Peeta helped him with, it’s amazing. She lays the picture down on the coffee table and brings Jack in for a hug. “I love it, Bear. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

Jack pulls away and looks nervous for a minute before he says, “Mommy, can I leave it with Peeta? He did help me lots.”

Katniss pulls him close again and kisses the top of his head. “You are the best little boy I know. If that’s what you want to do, then that is alright with me.”

Jack picks the picture up and takes it to Peeta. Peeta says, “Hey Jack, can you follow me?”

When Jack nods, they both turn to go upstairs. Peeta looks over Jack’s head and motions for Katniss to come too. Peeta leads them upstairs to the extra door in the hallway. Its Peeta’s home office. Inside is Peeta’s home office, complete with a large desk and big leather chair. He goes to sit in the chair and opens up a drawer and pulls out a portfolio. She can’t see what exactly he has in there, but something on the top looks like it was drawn by Peeta. He carefully collects the drawing from Jack, and places it right on top. Zipping it closed he says, “I can’t hang it up yet, Jack, because I’m getting ready to move. But as soon as I’m settled, I’m going to hang it up. I promise.”

Jack looks up at her when Peeta says that with so much pride on his face that it takes her breath away. She ruffles his hair, “Let’s go take a quick shower and go to bed. It’s already 8:30 and we have to go home tomorrow.”

“Do we have to, Mommy?” he says with the little boy, I’m-so-very-tired whine.

“Yes, we do. Peeta has to go to work and you have to go to school and I have to work. Now go.”

After she helps Jack out of the shower and everyone has kissed Jack goodnight as per his request. Katniss pauses in the hallway, and Peeta looks at her questioningly. She puts her finger to her lips and motions for him to step towards the bedroom. They peek around the corner to see that Jack is already asleep. “Well Peeta, I think this weekend is the quickest I have seen my child to go to sleep. Are you bribing him?”

“No, I think we are just wearing one another out. Come on,” he starts to lead her downstairs, “I have some hot chocolate for you…”

They talk some more that night about the going-on’s in their small hometown. They don’t talk for too long, knowing that they both have a busy Monday ahead of them. She wishes him good night as he goes into his office instead of the spare bedroom where he has been sleeping. She goes to take a shower and then to bed. It’s about three hours later, when she rolls over to go to the bathroom, and notices the light for his office is still on. After going to the bathroom, she tiptoes over to where she can peek inside. Peeta is bent over one of his sketch pads drawing as fast as he can. He must have felt her or heard her shuffle, because he looks up in that minute. Surprised to see her there he jumps a little and then smiles at her. “You are going to give me a heart attack one day doing that. I’m going to have to get you a bell to wear or something so I can hear you coming.”

She rolls her eyes at him, and says, “Ha-ha, Peeta. What are you doing awake?”

He stretches, and looks at the clock on his desk. “Oh, damn. I lost track of time.” He lays down his pencil, turns off the little lamp on his desk, and walks to her. 

She turns to go back, when he interrupts her. “Katniss, wait…”

He stops himself from whatever he was about to do with a head shake. “It’s nothing. Never mind. Good night and sleep well.” He heads into the guest room closing the door behind him. She goes back to lay back down with Jack. At first she thinks that she won’t be able to go back to sleep, then the next thing she knows is the alarm is waking her up.

kpkpkpkpkpkpkp

Look another author note! Just wondering… did you catch the little things taken out of cannon? I wonder if you caught them all… and I know you don’t normally put sugar in biscuits, but if you are going to make them into cinnamon rolls, or even chocolate biscuits like Peeta was going to, then you would.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is folks. Chapter 11. And this is a big chapter. A BIG one. Oh and this is when the rating changes too. I need to thank everyone… sohypothetically, my dear, thank you. One day, I will put all of the comma’s in the right places. But I will still want you to beta for me as long as you want to. Thank you to nonnie and jojo for reading. 
> 
> oh and I don't own anything!!!! Esp not the Biltmore house, which is mentioned in this chapter. or the Vanderbilt's!

Katniss plans on leaving Peeta’s by six in the morning, hoping that she will be out of Atlanta by the time heavy traffic starts. Jack, however, is not a happy boy getting up that early. Peeta, dressed in his jeans and a t-shirt instead of his suit, helps her to pack up the Jeep, including left over doughnuts and cheese buns for the ride home.  
Katniss brings the still half-asleep Jack down stairs. She manages to get him dressed, and he holds the stuffed dog- named Paprika- that Peeta won for him yesterday in a tight hug. When Jack sees Peeta waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, he bursts into tears. Katniss looks to Peeta in confusion and sits down on the bottom step so she can see what’s wrong. 

“Bear, what’s a matter?” she asks soothingly. 

He hiccups and sobs at the same time and hides his face against her chest. She rubs his back and looks to Peeta. He joins them on the bottom step and before he can say anything, Jack is on his lap and hugging him, even dropping Paprika in the process. Peeta hugs him back and doesn’t say anything for a moment. Then he leans down and whispers, just loudly enough for katniss to hear too, “Hey, Bear. I need you to ride home with Mommy today. I know you don’t want to go…” 

Jack hiccups and looks up at Peeta. “I do want to go home. But I want you to come with me. I want you to go play in the tent with me, and play with Daniel with me and go to school with me and teach me to bake cheese buns and go to Papa’s cabin with me…”

Peeta gives him a grin and pulls him into a squeeze. “I would love to do all of those things with you. But first I have to pack.” He reaches over and wraps his arm around Katniss so she can be a part of the hug too. “And you and Mommy have to get back to Panem. If everything goes if everything goes as planned, I should be able to come visit you on Friday.”

“When is Friday?” Jack hiccups.

Katniss runs her fingers through his curls. “Today is Monday. Do you remember what the rest of the days are?”

“Monday, Tuesday, Thursday…”

“Wednesday and then Thursday…” Katniss softly reminds him.

“Wednesday and then Thursday,” he repeats. He sits up and says excited, “Then Friday!! Right Peeta? Then it’s Friday?”

He smiles at the now excited little boy. “Yes and then Friday. I’m going to pack the stuff that I don’t want the movers to pack, and then get out of their way. I should be in Charlotte by Thursday if not Friday. Then I’ll head to Panem…”

“Where are you going to stay? Have you decided yet?” Katniss asks.

“I had thought about just getting a hotel for now.”

“No. You have to go to Papa’s cabin. Then we can swim,” Jack interrupts.

“Jack, hang on for a minute. Let Peeta figure out what is going on with his job stuff first. He will keep us posted. Peeta, you are welcome to stay at the cabin until you can find something else. There is no reason why you should have to stay in a hotel room.”

He squeezes her shoulder where he still has her in a side-hug. “Thank you, Katniss. Jack, are you, ok, now?”

Jack snuggles into his arms, gives a little nod and asks, “Where is Paprika?”

Katniss picks up the dog and gives it back to Jack. “There you go. We’ve got to go, Bear.”

Peeta stands up with Jack still in his arms. “Do you have everything?”

She smiles at Jack in his arms, nods and follows Peeta out to the Jeep. After Jack is secure in his seat, Peeta whispers, “See you soon,” with a little kiss on his forehead, and turns to Katniss. Before he has a chance to over-think what he is about to do, he gathers her in his arms for a hug. He is grateful when she returns it. Allowing himself for just a moment to smell the top of her head just one more time, he slowly lets her go. He runs his hands down her arms, feels the goose pimps on her that his touch causes, and when he comes to her hands, she allows him to hold them. 

“Let me know when you get home, ok?”

She nods. “Of course. Are you going to work now?” 

“There are some things I need to do here first. I’m technically the manager of the Charlotte office now so my job is to move this week, make sure Effie hasn’t burned down the office, and tell everyone goodbye.”

“I’ll be seeing you on Friday.” She reaches into the Jeep and digs into her purse. Finding what she is looking for, she hands him a set of keys. Recognizing the bear that her dad had carved so long ago, he knows that it’s the keys for the cabin. “If you want to stay at the cabin, fine. If not, that’s fine too. Just give them back to me when you are done.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Peeta. It might be a little dusty, but everything still works and it even has Wi-Fi.” She is interrupted when Jack says something but she can’t make it out through the closed windows of the Jeep. “Well I need to go before traffic gets too bad.”

After another whispered good-bye, he watches her drive with their son. Not wanting to think about what is going on, he gets his keys from his pocket, gets in his truck and goes to find boxes so he can pack his office and his kitchen. 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

He is in the middle of packing his grandfather’s cookie cutters when his phone rings. He digs it out of his pocket and can’t fight the grin when he sees that it’s Katniss. 

“Hello…”

“Hey,” she says breathlessly, “I just got home…”

“Are you, ok? You sound out of breath…”

“Yea, I had to run in the house because me and Jack both had to pee,” she says with a giggle. 

“Well good. I’m glad you made it home then. How was traffic?”

“It wasn’t too bad. Jack slept some, but he mostly talked about how much fun he had. Thank you, again, for this weekend.”

“Anytime, Katniss. I think I will take you up on your offer of letting me use the cabin.” 

“When do you have need to be in the Charlotte office?”

“That is what I’m still figuring out. Would it be alright if I went to the cabin Wednesday? Would you know of any storage places close to it? I need to find a place for my furniture.”

“What about Haymitch? He put in some storage buildings last year. Or would that be too far away?”

“No actually that might be perfect. The company is paying for all of this since they want me to transfer. And since they want me there so quickly, they are willing to pay for storage until I find a permanent place to live.”

“Well that’s nice. I hate to cut this short, but I just got to the shop and I need to go check on everything…”

“Go ahead. I know you need to catch up. I’m going to finish packing and go into the office for a little bit. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Oh, Peeta? I just wanted to thank you again for this weekend. I know it was busy but I know that Jack enjoyed getting to play and hang out with you.”

“Well I enjoyed getting to know him. He really is a great little guy. You have done a great job with him.” 

“Thanks Peeta, Posy needs me, I’ll talk to you later.”

 

Kpkkpkpkpkpkpkpkpkp

By the time Wednesday does roll around, Peeta has packed his office (including his art work), his clothes, most of his kitchen; well the parts he took from the bakery over the years, and his desk at work. The movers agree to meet him Saturday in Panem at the storage buildings Haymitch has behind his store. 

Peeta gets to the cabin around sunset, which, for this time of year is getting closer and closer to dinnertime. When he pulls up into the driveway he is surprised to see Katniss’s Jeep sitting in the driveway. He has just turned the truck off when Jack comes barreling out of the cabin. 

“It took you for forever to get here, Peeta! Where were you?”

“Hey, buddy! What are you doing here?” Peeta says, giving Jack a hug as he gets out of the truck. 

“We came to give the cabin a quick dusting for you,” Her voice comes from behind him surprising him. He turns to see Katniss standing there. 

“You didn’t have to do that. But I do appreciate it.” He ruffles the top of Jack’s head and shuts the truck door. “And it’s always good to see Jack.”

Katniss smiles at them and turns to lead them into the cabin. “We went on ahead and dusted and mopped and wiped the counters down. There are some things in the pantry, and you do have toilet paper.”

“Thank you for that,” Peeta says with a grin. “I stopped and did get some groceries. When are you going back to Panem?”

Jack starts bouncing, and looks up at Katniss with pleading eyes. “Mommy can we stay here with Peeta? Please?”

“Jack, I just don’t know…”

“Katniss, you and Jack are more than welcome to stay. It won’t bother me a bit…”

Katniss looks into the back of his truck and sees his boxes and luggage. Reaching in, she grabs his carry on, hands it to Jack and then grabs a suitcase and says, “Well, let’s get the truck unloaded. Then I think there might enough stuff in there for veggie soup and grilled cheese.”

After they get the truck unloaded, Katniss starts dinner while Jack and Peeta start to unpack some of his office and art things. After she calls them to the table to eat, they comfortably chat back and forth like they have always eaten meals together.

After they do the dishes, they notice that its 7:30. Katniss still has an hour drive ahead of her, and starts to get ready to go. Jack starts to beg, “Mommy, can’t we stay here with Peeta? Just for one night? Posy and Ms. Annie won’t care if they don’t see us tomorrow. Please Mommy. Peeta might be lonely here in papa’s cabin all by his self-tonight.”

Not knowing what to say, Katniss looks to Peeta for help. “Peeta might have a lot to do tonight…”

Peeta pulls her to where he can whisper into her ear, “Whatever you feel like doing is fine with me. I know it’s getting late, and I would love you have you and Jack spend the night.”

She doesn’t want to admit to anyone especially herself how much she has missed Peeta the past couple of days. So she gives in to Jack’s pleas and says, “Ok then. I guess we are spending the night…” 

kpkpkpkpkp

 

After Jack is asleep, Katniss wanders outside to the back deck that overlooks the lake to see the full moon. It never ceases to amaze her that she can sit here on the deck that she remembers her dad building looking at the same stars they did when she was little. And now here she is sharing all of this with her son… well she does when he is awake, anyway. She pulls the throw she grabbed off of the back of the couch tighter around her to ward off the chill when she hears Peeta coming behind her. 

“Its chilly up here isn’t it?” he says.

“You’re not in Atlanta anymore. You are back in the mountains. We don’t have all of that concrete and asphalt to keep warm.”

“You know, I think you might be right about that. I think I have forgotten how beautiful it is here.” 

She moves to sit on the wicker couch and Peeta follows her to sit beside her. She brings her legs under her and covers the both of them with the throw. Scooting closer to him for warmth, she tucks herself under his arm, close to his side. Not sure if it’s Peeta, being here at the cabin, or what, she feels herself relaxing for the first time in weeks. 

“Did I ever tell you how the Everdeen’s got this property?” Katniss asks.

“No, I don’t ever think you did.”

“My great-great-grandpa was one of the foremen when George Vanderbilt was building the Biltmore house. It was one day after work, some of the men decided that they wanted to play poker. Well they played several hands and then noticed that George had joined them. He asked to be dealt in. They played several more hands, and before long it was George and Grandpa who were the only ones who were left playing. Grandpa had a flush, and George had a full house. Of course George thought he was going to win, but Grandpa knew he was going to. So the men made their final bet with George putting in the deed to this land. Grandpa showed his hand, and won much to everyone surprise. George was upset, but he was a gracious loser. He shook Grandpa’s hand and congratulated him for being such a good poker player. Even after that George would still come and play poker with the men after work. They ended up being good friends. George just had one stipulation on the win- that if we decide that we didn’t want the land anymore, we would have to give the Vanderbilts first dibs on it.” 

“Is it true?” he asks.

“I have no idea,” she says with a laugh. “Prim and I used to pretend that we were long-lost Vanderbilt’s when we would go to the Biltmore house.” 

“I remember you when you were little. You and Madge would play together on the playground. I would always watch you.” He laughs at himself and says, “Now I sound like a creeper. I even remember you on the first day of school…”

She pushes herself up so she can look at him. “You do not,” she says accusingly. 

Peeta looks for her eyes in the moonlight. “Yes, I do. You had two braids and a red plaid dress. That shade of red besides sunset orange is still my favorite. You came into kindergarten with your mom and Prim.”

“Peeta, how…”

“And on that first day,” he continues, “You stood up in music and sang that old song… you know the one about the meadow?”

Katniss looks away from Peeta. She’s not afraid of the song, or the memory anymore- not like after Daddy died. It’s another gift that Jack has given her. She begins to sing, 

 

“Deep in the meadow, under the willow

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow

Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes

And when again they open, the sun will rise.

 

Here it’s safe, here it’s warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

 

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away

A cloak of leave, a moonbeam ray

Forget your woes and let your troubles lay

And when again its morning, they’ll wash away

 

Here it’s safe and here it’s warm

And here is the daises guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.”

 

Katniss doesn’t even feel the tears falling down her cheeks, but Peeta sees. He doesn’t say anything and just holds her close. Gently he kisses her tears away. and then before she knows what is going on, there is his kiss that is gentler than the wind off of a butterfly wing caressing her lips. Not thinking, her tongue begs entrance to his mouth. Not able to tell her no, even in this, he opens his mouth and lets her in. Letting her establish the pace of the kiss, he follows what she is doing. He brings his hands up to her face and gently holds her there while he starts to explore what he has missed for so long. She brings her hands up to his wrists; he has a moment of panic when he thinks she is going to break the kiss. Instead, she deepens it while hanging on to him for dear life. 

He kisses her along her jaw until he reaches her ear. He bites her ear lobe and then gives it a not so gentle tug. Sucking it into his mouth, he feels her shiver from excitement. He returns to her mouth to go kiss her again. When she sighs into the kiss, that she realizes what they are doing. She pulls away with a gasp. “Peeta! We can’t… we shouldn’t… I can’t do this!” she says in a rush.

Peeta blinks his eyes and starts to come out of his daze, says, “What do you mean we can’t do this? I have missed you so much. This, you is all I want. Please,” he moves to kiss her again, “Let me have you?”

Katniss jumps up and backs away from him. “No, Peeta. We can’t. There is no ‘us’ there will never be an ‘us’ again.”

Shock fills his features and heartbreak fills him. Not even thinking he asks, “But why Katniss? Why can’t we try again?”

Even in the dark of the moonlight, he can see the fear fill her eyes. “I can’t let you leave me again. I can’t let you leave Jack again.” He hears her voice begin to break, “I know I’m not making any sense, but even though you didn’t really cheat, I’m still getting used to the thought that you didn’t. I’m sorry Peeta, but I can’t let that happen to me and to Jack again. I’m sorry.”

“Katniss,” he takes a deep breath, willing his own voice not to break too, “This time with you and Jack reminds me how much I still need you. We have missed so much. You are the only one I love. I need you in my life. I want you anyway I can get you. Even if it’s just as friends.” He stands and turns to go back into the cabin. “Goodnight, Katniss.”

She pulls the throw tighter around her and sits back down on the wicker couch. She can’t stop thinking about what just happened. He kissed her. Peeta Mellark just kissed her. And she doesn’t know what to do. A part of her wants to grab Jack, get into her Jeep, and run as fast as she can back to Panem. But then there is a part of her that remembers what it’s like to be in his arms, in his bed. She hates the sayings about finding your other half, and that you aren’t complete until you met ‘the one’. She didn’t feel that way about Peeta. Peeta made her better. She thinks about all of the times they had together before they broke up. The friendship, the love, the nights where all they could do was stay wrapped with each other, not wanting to ever let go. She doesn’t notice the tears that stream down her face. Letting the emotions she has been holding back over the years wash over her, Katniss finally let’s herself feel everything she has held back. She has missed Peeta so much that this is really the first time since he left town she has let herself feel the loss and betrayal. She finally lets herself mourn for Peeta. 

Its only when Prim texts that she realizes that she has been sitting there for over an hour. She answers her, and goes in to go to bed. The cabin might look small on the outside, but the kitchen, dining area and living room are one big area. Then on one side of the living room is two bedrooms, and on the other side is another two with an adjoining bathrooms in between each bedroom. Since she comes as much as work allows her to, Jack has his own room on one side and she does too. That leaves two other bedrooms for company. She peeks in on Jack, and to cover him up from where he has kicked the covers off. Then she heads across the living room to her room. Peeta claimed the bedroom beside hers, and is in there asleep with the door open to help circulate the heat in case it kicks on during the night. She steps inside of the doorway to watch him for a moment. She notices that the window above the bed is open, letting in a chill. She creeps over to the window to close it just a little bit when the squeak that the window makes wakes Peeta up. 

“Katniss? What are you doing? Is this real?” he says, sitting up in bed looking at her.

“I didn’t mean to wake you. But it’s getting colder out there. I was just going to close this window half way…”

He falls back against the pillows. He reaches out to grab her arm and pulls her to sit on the bed beside him. “I’m sorry for what happened outside on the porch. I don’t want you to push me away. And I know that Jack needs both of his parents right now.”

She wants to get as close as possible to him, not push him away anymore, and to welcome him back into her life. Not having the words to say this, she instead leans forward to kiss him. 

The kiss lasts for as long as it takes for him to grab her arms and to pull her away from him so he can look into her eyes. It takes him just a moment to read what he sees there, even if she doesn’t know it herself, and then he has brought her back to him to begin kissing her again. All she can think about, is how much this feels like home to her. 

Peeta gives her a little flip over him to where she is lying on her back in the bed. He settles in between her legs and gazes at her again before he lowers his lips to hers. Her fingers find his curls and she gives him a solid tug, pulling him even closer to her. He follows the same path he was on earlier to her ear. Not wanting to say anything to break the spell, but he has to know, he whispers in her ear, “Are we really doing this?”

Instead of trusting herself to speak, she gives him a push back and sees the confusion on his face. To answer him, she gives a little wiggle while she takes off her shirt. Relief floods his face and that is all the encouragement Peeta needs as he helps her with her pants. Before she knows what he is doing, he reaches over and turns on the bedside lamp. She starts to protest, when he captures her lips instead, and then mummers, “Please, I haven’t seen you in so long, you are so beautiful, and all I want to do is to see you.”  
He barely gives her a chance to nod when he claims her lips again. Wanting to just touch her, he does until he finds her bra. He feels the hooks on her back, and soon he is easing it off of her. She brings up her hands to cover herself, but he stops her with another kiss. He leans back for just a minute to look at her. How many nights did she bring him sweet dreams, only to wake up with her not there. That was his reality for so long. And now, here she is. It all feels like a dream. 

He lowers his head to finish kissing her. She gasps and giggles when he finds the spot on her neck that is so sensitive. Running her fingers thru his curls, she brings him back to her mouth for another kiss. Kissing his way to her breasts, he first finds her nipples. they have become more sensitive since he last saw them, his touch sends a gasp of pleasure to her lips and a bolt of electricity straight to her center. She pulls him closer, as he tries to make up to her in one night all the time he has missed. 

She nearly has an orgasm from him alone paying such attention to her breasts, when she feels his hand going to her center. He gently pulls her panties down when she lifts her hips up to help him with this task. Her legs open for him, an invitation for him to come closer to her. He continues to kiss her while his hand returns to rest on her thigh and then he stops to look at her in an unasked question. She arches her back with a moan and a whispered, “Please.” That is all he needs as he brings his hand to her. 

He finds her clit, and gently runs his thumb over it, as his fingers find themselves going into her depths. And she answers him with a breathless groan that he didn’t think he would ever hear again. He moves his fingers to find her g-spot, and his mouth finds her nipple again. When he gives her spot a tickle and a hard pull on her nipple, she nearly comes off the bed as the orgasm hits her. She continues riding his hand through the sensations. 

Katniss snakes her hand to find him very hard and very ready for her. Peeta looks up from his feasting on her nipple and gives her a moan in answer when she gives him a tug. “I need you inside of me. Now, please.” She whispers to him. Not saying a word, he gives both of her nipples a lick and a nibble. 

He gets up from the bed. She starts to ask what is he doing, when she sees that he is going to close the door, they have been doing all of that with the door open? Thank goodness Jack didn’t wake up! And then goes to his carry on bag in the corner of the room. He opens a side pocket, runs his fingers up and down his shaft, and then puts the condom on. He comes to join her again on the bed. He lowers himself to kiss her breasts once and she can feel him sliding inside her. Katniss tries not to think about how long it has been, but she knows that her second orgasm is going to be quick. He raises her legs until her ankles are resting on his shoulders, and then proceeds to make her his again. They both come quickly, Peeta collapsing on top of her when he is finished and both of them panting like they have just run a marathon. 

he gets up to throw the condom away, and comes right back. He turns off the light, opens the window, grabs the covers and an almost asleep Katniss, and they both go to sleep together. 

Kpkpkpkpkpkpkp

It is to a confused and slightly panicky Jack that wakes Katniss up. It takes her just a moment to realize that she is very naked with a very naked Peeta in his bedroom. She jumps up, grabs her shirt and his boxers, and puts them on. 

She meets Jack at the door. “Mommy, what are you doing in Peeta’s room?” he pushes past her to see where Peeta is waking. Jack stomps his foot and says, “I’m mad, Mommy. I’m so mad.”

Katniss is still trying to wake up and doesn’t understand what he is trying to say. “I love you, but what in the world are you talking about? Please use your words and tell me what is wrong.”

Jack walks over to Peeta who is sitting up in the bed by now. “Peeta, I’m most mad at you.” Jack stomps his foot. 

“Young man! Would you please talk to me and tell me what is wrong.” Katniss almost yells. 

Jack turns to look at his mommy with tears in his eyes. Instantly she starts to worry that something is really wrong, when he says with tears in his voice, “Mommy. Peeta. You had a sleep over without me. I wanted to sleep in the bed with you too.”

Not really sure about what to say next, Peeta jumps in for her, “Jack, we didn’t mean to have a sleep over without you. We were up talking late and fell asleep. Now can you give me and Mommy some privacy for just a minute? Go wait for us in the living room.”

Jack nods. “Ok, Peeta.” He walks out of the bedroom.

Katniss starts to take off his boxers when he interrupts her, “It’s ok. You keep them. They look better on you, anyway.”

She blushes at his words. Not saying a word, she goes into the adjoining bathroom. 

After she is dressed and her hair is no longer sticking straight up she goes to find Jack. He is in his room looking for something to wear. After she helps him get dressed, she goes out to the kitchen to start breakfast. She guesses she should say something to Jack about finding her in Peeta’s room, but she might just wait to see if he will say anything about it. Peeta comes out of the bedroom dressed and comes to stand beside her in the kitchen so he can make his cup of tea. 

He glances at her out of the corner of his eye, and she gives him a little smile when she hands him a mug. Before he can catch himself, he gives her a little kiss on her cheek. All Katniss can do is stand there and blink at him while he walks to the table to sit down beside Jack. She finishes up the French toast and slides it onto a plate. She meets Peeta’s eyes over Jack’s head with a little smile and puts Jack’s plate in front of him. 

“That smells really good, Jack. Do you think Mommy will fix me some too?”

Jack speaks around a mouth full of toast, “Mommy, can Peeta have some too?”

She gives Jack a glass of milk and a napkin and reminds him, “Jack don’t talk with food in your mouth. Yes, I can fix Peeta some.”

“Oh, Katniss, did you talk to Annie the other day like you two planned?”

“No we didn’t get to. She ended up having a teachers meeting and I had to plan hiking trips for 3 big groups. Annie did text and say that as long as we take things slowly, and let them,” when Katniss said them, she nodded towards Jack, “ask questions. She thinks everything will be ok.”

“Well that’s good. We wouldn’t want ‘them’ to be hurt in all of this. Are you going back to Panem today?”

“Yes, I told Posy I would be in around 1:00. So we need to be on the road soon…”

“Mommy, do we have to?”

“Yes, Bear. You know we have things to do. Are you finished eating?”

He picks up his plate and carries it to the sink. “Can I watch TV. for a little bit?”

“Go ahead, Bear. I need to talk to Peeta anyway.”

Jack settles on the couch and Katniss takes his seat beside Peeta at the table. She starts to say something when Peeta says, “Last night was a nice and wonderful surprise. Now before you over-analyze it like you always do, I just want to say that it meant a lot to me. You mean a lot to me. And I want you in my life anyway you will be there. Whether it’s just as Jack’s mom, friends, lovers, or even more than that. It’s like I said before, I will take you anyway I can get you. I’m leaving it up to you. Now what were you going to say?”

“You said it. I’m still scared. I’m scared of when we tell Jack, I’m scared of one day I wouldn’t be enough for you, I’m scared that one day everyone I love is going to leave me…”

He cuts her off with a little kiss. He wants to take it deeper, but Jack is just behind them on the couch. She stops the kiss and he rests his forehead against hers. “Katniss you can’t live like this. Let’s just keep on doing what we are doing. And let things happen as they will.”

Kpkpkpkp 

On Saturday Peeta meets the moving truck from Atlanta with the rest of his furniture. Much to his surprise they get it unloaded fairly quickly and locked away in the space. He gives them a tip for their help and they start back to Atlanta. Katniss is working for Posy at the shop today, and Jack is at the Hawthorne’s so he decides to stop by the bakery even though he is still angry at them for keeping Jack from him. 

He pulls into the parking lot and sees that the whole family is here. Well that’s good. At least he will only have to tell it once and be done with it. He eases in the back door and everyone is busy working. Dad is finishing up a cake, Bram is taking bread out of the oven, and Rye is bagging rolls. His mother is out front ringing up Mrs. Cartwright, Delly’s mom. 

When they hear the bell over the back door ring, the men look up with looks of happy surprise on their faces. They call out greetings to him, and Anna even comes from the front of the bakery to see what is going on. 

“What are you doing here Peeta?” Graham asks.

“I decided to store my furniture here until I can find a more permanent place to live. I do have an announcement to make. Can everyone take a minute to listen?” he wipes his hands nervously on his pants legs. He decides to just say it all at once, “I have a son. And his name is Jackson Peeta Everdeen.”

 

What do you think?  
It’s kind of a cliffhanger. I promise that it’s going to be good.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s with a heavy heart I come this week. A good friend of mine passed away unexpectedly this week. She was in the prime of her life. She had a husband who adored her and two great kids. She was literally fine one minute, the next having surgery for a brain aneurysm. (The surgery was successful, but her brain swelled. There wasn’t brain activity, and then she passed.) She was the most generous person I have ever met. I hope I can be like her one day. Another friend of ours told me about last Christmas, she had overheard a little boy telling his grandpa that he wanted a bike. Grandpa said that they couldn’t because they didn’t have any money. My friend went and bought him that bike and met them at the front door of the store with it. So reach out, and help someone today. If it’s a person or an animal, reach out a helping hand. Love the ones you are with.  
> I need to also thank sohypothetically as always you rock my dear. Jojo for plotting, miss for reading, just one more time. I really do need to get those bottles of wine to you. Oh… this is a busy chapter. I hope you enjoy.

Silence. He is met with silence. Even Anna Mellark is silent. 

Rye is the first one to say something. “You mean, Katniss’s little boy is yours?”

“She is trying to pass that piece of Seam trash off as yours.” his mother’s words cut through him like a knife. “That seam whore is just looking for someone to finally come along and pay child support--”

“Anna, that is enough,” Graham cuts her off. “That is my grandchild you are talking about and I will not tolerate you talking about him or his mother that way.”

Bram cuts in, “Mother, you don’t know the whole story. Can you listen for once instead of jumping to conclusions?”

“Why are you two defending her?” Anna looks at Rye and then to Bram. “Are you sure he isn’t your son? Or even yours…”

“I said that is enough. Jack is Peeta’s son. You don’t have to be a part of his life, but I want to be. If you don’t like it, then maybe you need to leave.”

Anna looks at Graham in disbelief. “You are kicking me out of my house over a Seam whore and her brat? Well I guess that is fitting after all these years of you lusting over--”

“Anna!” Graham shouts. “I’ve had enough of you and--” he is cut off by the pain that shoots up his arm and takes his breath away. He looks to his sons for help. 

The boys rush over to him with Bram being the first to arrive. He catches his father and helps him onto the floor. “Someone call 911. Now!”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss is in the middle of fitting Beetee’s daughter Gloria with a new pair of boots when Vick comes to get her. “The phone is for you.”

She doesn’t even give him a glance. “Take a message. I’ll call them back in a minute.”

“You want to take this call,” Vick says in a somber voice.

Standing up and wiping off her pants, she gives Vick a worried look and takes the phone from him. “This is Katniss.”

She hears an out of breath Peeta. “I need you.”

Katniss motions for Vick to finish helping with the boots and walks over to her office. “Peeta? What’s a matter?”

“It’s Dad. I told them this morning about Jack. He’s had a heart attack. We are on the way to Asheville now. Can you come too? I need you.”

“Um, yea,” she stumbles over her words. An overwhelming sadness comes over her when she thinks about something happening to Graham. “I should be able to. Let me see if I can get Hazette or Posy to come in and help Vick. And let me call Madge. I’ll call you back when I’m on the way. Ok?”

“Thank you Katniss. Don’t bring Jack. He doesn’t need to see Dad this way.”

“I know. You take care of your dad right now. I’ll see you soon.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss gets off the elevator in the heart unit. She quickly glances around and sees a familiar blond head. It’s just not the blond head she thought she would see. “Katniss, the family is over there in that waiting room. Where’s Jack?” Prim greets her with a quick hug. Since Prim has started her rotation in the heart unit, she hasn’t been home that much. 

“He’s at Gale’s. What has the doctor said about Graham?”

“They are keeping a close eye on him. Peeta can tell you more about it.”

“Let me go find him and I’ll come back to see you.”

Prim shakes her head. “No. I’m getting ready to go on rounds. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Katniss gives her a nod and goes to the waiting room. Peeta is there with Bram and his wife, Missy and Rye and his girlfriend, Candice Leeg. Anna is also there looking grief-stricken but sitting away from the rest of the family.

Peeta meets her at the doorway, bumping into her gently and saying under his breath, “I need to get out of here. Let’s go outside.” Not giving her a chance to respond, he turns to the rest of his family, “I need some air.” 

Katniss takes his hand and leads him out the side door. Prim had told her about a little garden beside the heart unit when she first started at the hospital. It’s a quiet place for families to wait. As soon as the door closes, she can see peeta start to relax. The garden isn’t on the ground floor, but on a balcony that is on the 7th floor. It’s a good-sized garden for the space that it’s in and somehow the beautiful greenery surrounding them makes the space seem bigger. There are even some private places so loved ones can relax out of everyone’s sight. It’s to one of those spaces that Katniss pulls Peeta. They aren’t even around the corner when she feels his arms pulling her against him. Her hands go down to his arms, caressing them while his nose finds her neck. His hold is tight while he breathes her in and they stay that way for several moments until she feels the sob coming up from his chest. Katniss turns in his arms, kisses his forehead and brings her arms around his neck to hold him even tighter. 

Peeta’s sobs are not loud, but they do make his entire body shake with his grief. Katniss holds him as if he would float away if she let go. With her arms still around his neck, he straightens and picks her up off the ground. He crosses to the bench that is nestled among ivy that has crawled up the wall. He sits with her on his lap, with her knees on either side of his hips. He rests his forehead against hers, breathing in the calming influence of her presence. 

Not knowing what to say, and knowing that sometimes it’s best not to say anything at all, she simply runs her fingers through his hair and lets him sob. Katniss thinks about her boy’s grandpa getting ready for major surgery, and she feels her own fall onto the top of Peeta’s head. She isn’t sure how long they stay there, but it’s Prim who finds them. 

Her sister walks up to them quietly. “I just wanted to come tell you two that Graham is getting ready to go into surgery. He wants to see the both of you.”

With a deep sigh, and a kiss to Katniss’s nose, Peeta rises. He follows Prim back into the building still holding Katniss’s hand. They go directly to Graham’s room, and are surprised that they are the only ones in the room. 

Graham looks relieved when they walk in. “Come closer. I need to talk to the both of you.” Peeta slips his hand into his dad’s. “I know that it was hard to tell us about Jack, Peeta. 

Don’t blame yourself for what happened. The doctor has been telling me to slow down and start taking better care of myself. I guess your mother brought out the worst of the situation…”

“Dad. Yes, I was upset about you keeping Jack a secret…” Peeta is interrupted by Prim and a nurse coming in to fetch Graham to take him to surgery. “it will be ok. We all know about Jack now, and you need to get better. We’ll see you after.”

Graham gives a solemn nod, accepts the kiss from Katniss, and is rolled from the room. They follow Graham down the hallway to the swinging double doors leading the way to surgery. They find Rye, Candice, Bram, and Missy In the waiting room. They do not want to sit down, nor do they want to leave. So peeta says to them, “I can’t stay in here. I’m going back outside to the garden. Did they say how long Dad was going to be in surgery?”

“They said it’s going to be about 4 hours,” Anna says quietly from the corner.

Peeta immediately goes over to her. “Why in the hell did you say those things to him, Mother?” he snarls. “For years, you pushed and pushed him to past his breaking point. We might be moved out from the house, but I remember how you are. And I know Rye and Bram remember too. You pick and bitch about every little thing that we try to do. Instead of telling us things like ‘oh you are doing a good job’, you were always so cynical about every little thing we ever did. I still remember you being critical of a drawing I made you in kindergarten. Kindergarten, Mother! Jack is only four, and I couldn’t imagine saying anything mean to him. It would break his little heart. I might have only known him for a matter of weeks but I would rather die than to hurt him. Or even Tyler and Molly! I’ve seen how you treat them. It’s not much better than the way you treated us. All we ever wanted was to be loved. And you couldn’t do that. I am proud to call Katniss the mother of my child. And if I can get her to trust me again, and to agree to marry me, then I hope we will have many more children. Which after today, you probably won’t ever get to see.” Peeta reaches for Katniss who immediately leads him back outside. 

They just get out the door when they realize that everyone but Anna is right behind them. The brothers just stand there in silence until Bram brings them in for a hug. Rye is the one who starts laughing. “I can’t believe you said all of those things to her.”

“I guess one of us should have done that sooner,” Bram says. “Maybe then Dad wouldn’t be here.”

Peeta pats both of them on the back. “Don’t do it, guys. We all have done the best we could. Remember what Dad always says, ‘We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious.’ So we keep moving forward. we make sure dad is healthy. Maybe one of us should go to the doctor’s appointments with him?”

Rye asks, “Do you think the doctor will make him retire from the bakery?” 

“I did go with him for his physical this year. The doctor doesn’t want him to quit work, because he does want him to be doing something. I don’t know what the heart doctor will want him to do. Besides could you imagine him staying at home with Mother all the time?” Bram asks. “Do you think she will leave?”

They are interrupted by Anna who has quietly followed them outside, “Boys, I am so sorry that you feel like I have failed you as a mother. I know and have accepted that you are not as close to me as you are your father. But I do love you.” She glances at Katniss who is still beside Peeta glaring at her. “Bram, Rye, Peeta. Whether you believe it or not, everything I have ever done was because I wanted you to do the best you could. I didn’t believe in babying you to achieve success.” This time she looks straight at Peeta. “Don’t blame your father for what has happened in your life. You can blame me. I don’t care. But I don’t believe that her brat is your son. She tried to pass him off as yours when you first left for Atlanta. And, no, I didn’t tell you that she came by. I knew that she wanted to trap you--”

Anna’s words are cut off when Katniss slaps her. “You can hurt me as much as you want. You do not matter me.” Katniss steps closer into Anna’s personal space. “When you didn’t tell Peeta that I came by the bakery, you hurt my fiancé, and at the same time you hurt my son. I will not let you do that again. If you come near my son, you will not live to tell about it. How Peeta feels about you is in-between he and you. But if we one day decide to get married, he will be my husband. You will not hurt him. And his brothers will be my brothers. You will not hurt them, either. And Graham will be my father-i- law. You will also not hurt him anymore. I still use my bow weekly to ensure accuracy. I still don’t miss, even after all this time. Do you understand me?”

Anna hears the threat in Katniss’s words. instead of being scared, she is proud of her for standing up for her family. Anna even wonders if she would have ever tried to protect her family like that. Deciding not to say anything, she gives them a smirk and walks away. 

They stare after her. They just stand there in the silence for a moment until Peeta turns to her with a half-smile. “Does this mean we are getting married one day?”

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

Graham’s cardiologist ends up doing a triple bypass. It isn’t as bad as he thought it was going to be, but Graham still needs a pacemaker. The pacemaker doesn’t work right at first, so Graham ended up being in the hospital for two weeks. One of the boys visits every day, even with Peeta starting work at the firm, Rye working full-time at the courthouse, and Bram full-time at the bakery. Bram is just thankful that wrestling season is just beginning and matches haven’t started yet. When Graham is finally released from the hospital, they have already passed Halloween and are now closing in on Thanksgiving. Anna is the one who takes him home. After everything that happened, she did apologize to Graham. She has not, however, apologized to Peeta and Katniss. She has agreed that when Peeta does eventually bring Jack over, she will stay hidden. Or finally apologize. 

Katniss and Peeta haven’t had much time to figure out their relationship. Peeta comes by every couple of days on the way back to the cabin from visiting Graham. He doesn’t spend the night because he has to work the next day. Jack is just happy to see Peeta. Katniss misses him. 

It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving and Peeta has taken the week off from work. He intends to relax, take care of his Dad, play with Jack and love Katniss. He has missed her so much, all he wants is to hold her. For the first time since his dad had the heart attack, he feels like he can relax a little bit. Things were still crazy at work, but his dad is going to be ok, he can see Jack when he wants to, and Katniss is slowly letting him back in. He expected things to be a little weird between them for a little bit, after they slept together, but the heart attack happened and they didn’t have time to be awkward. 

He pulls up in the driveway and turns off his truck. Then he stops himself. He even gets a little light headed when the thought hits him. It feels like he is coming home. Which he knows he is, but he went for so long not having that feeling. not that he’s found it, it’s wonderful. But he also knows that he better not say anything to Katniss and instead let her bring it up. 

He gathers his stuff and goes to the door. Giving a light knock before he walks on in, he is met by a running flash in a red cape hugging his legs.  
Jack greets him with a smile. “There you are, Peeta. Where have you been?” 

Having his Dad’s words echoed back to him by his son touches Peeta’s heart. He reaches down to pick him up for a hug and answers, “I have been at work. Where have you been?”  
Jack returns his hug. “School and then work. I had to go play with Posy. She gets bored at the shop and I have to go help her.”

Peeta fights a laugh as he takes what Jack is saying very seriously. “We can’t have Posy getting bored can we?”

“Oh no, we can’t. She tells me that I help her to get her all of her work done. And that I am the best part of her day.”

“Well that I don’t doubt a bit. You are the best part of my day when I get to see you,” Peeta gushes to his son.

“The best part of my day is when I get to see you too, Peeta,” Jack gushes back to him. 

Peeta sets him down. Before Jack can zoom off again. He asks, “Where is Mommy at?”

Peeta hears her coming down the stairs before Jack can answer. Jack takes off running-flying again. “Here I am. Peeta, aren’t you here early?”

He looks at his watch and Katniss looks at the clock on the microwave. They both give a chuckle when they realize that Peeta is right on time, and Katniss has lost track of time. She moves towards him so she can give him a hug. 

They stand there for just a moment enjoying the feel of each other. Breathing a sigh of relief for finally getting to hold her, he mummers into her hair, “I feel like it’s taken me forever to get here.”

Catching the double meaning of his words, and willing them not to scare her, she says back, “I know what you mean. You are here now. That is what is important.” And she pulls away slightly so she can look at him. they are startled by Jack coming back to the both of them and joining in the hug. Peeta picks him back up so he can be part of the family circle. 

Peeta asks, “I need to go see Rye. He’s still at the bakery. I came by first because I wanted to see if Jack wanted to go too. Can I take him with me?”

Katniss glances at Jack to see him beginning to smile. so she says, “Yes, I suppose. Bring us back some rolls to eat with dinner.”

“What are you making?” Peeta asks. 

“Just some stew. I had some beef in the freezer that I needed to use.”

Jack gives a whoop as he runs to get his shoes so he can go too. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

Peeta parks in the alley so they can go in the back door. Jack has only been to the bakery a couple of times with Katniss. This is his first time coming with Peeta. Jack’s eyes are wide as he looks at everything in the kitchen area.

Rye is in the kitchen cleaning up. “It’s about time you showed up.” Rye looks at Jack and says, “Tyler is out there coloring, do you want to go color with him?”

Jack gives Rye a nod, and then Peeta is leading him through the kitchen door to the kids’ coloring table. Without a word, Jack sits down beside Tyler from his class. Tyler has started playing with Jack and Daniel more at school, especially since Daniel’s birthday party. Jack looks over to see what Tyler is drawing, and sees that it’s a picture of some people. “Who is that?” Jack asks.

“That’s me, Mama, Daddy, my little sister Molly and Papa and Grandmother. Papa has been sick and Daddy had to help take care of him. And Mama too. But he’s all better now. But now Grandmother is sad.” Tyler’s lip comes out just a little bit. “No one will tell me why she is sad.”

“My friend Mr. Graham was sick too…” right at the moment, Graham and Anna Mellark come into the bakery. The boys jump up to greet Graham, oblivious to the look of confusion that crosses Anna’s face. 

“Hello Tyler! And Jack! What are you doing here too?” Graham exclaims. 

“Papa, how do you know my friend Jack from school?” Tyler says at the same time Jack asks him, “Mr., Graham how do you know Tyler?”

“Well Tyler, this is my friend Jack. I know his mother. Jack, Tyler is my grandson.”

“I wish I had a papa,” Jack says loud enough for everyone to hear. 

Peeta starts to go to him, when instead he hears Graham say, “But Jack, you do. Remember your mommy telling you about Papa Jack who is in heaven?” He waits for Jack to nod. “He’s watching over you in heaven. I know sometimes that it’s very hard to understand since you have never met him.”

Tyler puts his little arm around Jack and pulls him close. “My papa will play with you. He’s good to play with. He plays with me and Molly all the time.”

Graham stays with the boys for a minute while they start to color again. Tyler is finishing his picture and Jack decides to draw his family too. He starts with Mommy and then Aunt Prim, and Rory too. And then he draws Uncle Haymitch. And he can’t forget Charlie, his dog, either. This is when Jack stops and thinks for a minute he wants to draw Peeta, but he can’t figure out if he is family. But then he also wants to leave room for his daddy, just in case he decides to come and see him. The one who is right here, right now wins out. Jack carefully draws Peeta, but also leaves a space for Daddy. Maybe Daddy sent Peeta to play with him. So Daddy will understand if he draws Peeta on his family picture too. 

Jack finishes quickly, and notices that Mr. Graham has gone to talk to the rest of the adults. Tyler is finished too. Jack whispers to him, “Is that your Grandma? The one who is so sad?”

Tyler nods. “I’m going to draw her a picture to help her.”

Jack observes Anna standing with but not close to the other adults. So Jack gets a clean piece of paper and decides to draw too. He always like the way he feels at Papa’s cabin, so he decides to draw the lake. Both of the boys work quickly in silence.

When they are done, the two blonds walk over to Anna. Not wanting to interrupt the adults, they wordlessly give her the pictures. Tyler has drawn them playing in the park. It was a good day for him, even though it was Papa who took him and Molly and not Grandma. 

Jack hands her a picture of the lake where Peeta is staying. Anna can tell how peaceful it is just by looking at the picture. She steels a glance at him, the one she assumes is Jack. Now that she is closer to him, she can see the similarities between him and Peeta. Even his art work reminds her of Peeta. 

Peeta watches Jack hand his mother a drawing. Before she has a chance to say anything to him, he pulls Jack to his side. Giving his mother a look of contention, he steps behind the counter, gathers the rolls Katniss asked for, and tells Jack that it’s time to go. Anna feels a strange sense of loss that she doesn’t understand when they walk out the back door. 

After they eat dinner and tuck Jack in, katniss and peeta are alone for the first time in two weeks. Katniss joins Peeta on the couch with mugs of hot tea to fight the chill that has come with the almost-end of November. Katniss squeezes her toes under Peeta’s leg and says, “I think this is the first time we have been alone since your dad was in the hospital.”

“Mom and Dad came by the bakery while we were there.” He feels her stiffen up. “Relax. Tyler was there too, he wanted to help Uncle Rye at the bakery. Jack went over to color with him. Dad talked to them for a moment. Oh, and Jack drew Mother a picture. We hurried up and left before she could say anything to him.” he pats her leg in reassurance. 

“That’s good. Do you think Jack is asleep yet?”

He stops tracing the outline of her knee. “And what are you thinking about?”

She looks at him through her eyelashes and says kind of breathlessly, “Oh I don’t know. What are you thinking about?”

Sliding his hand up her flannel pajama pants, he finds her center. He slips his finger under her panties and finds her bundle of nerves. Her breath catches in her throat when he finds her wetness. She opens herself up further, legs falling to the side in welcome. He plunges into her depths, watching her expression. He goes to the spot that makes her come hard, when all of a sudden she jumps up off of the couch. 

He looks at her in confusion when she clarifies, “Our son sits on that couch to watch ‘The Magic School Bus’. We can’t do this here. Come on.”

They go upstairs Katniss’s room, stopping first to make sure Jack is asleep. Katniss has just closed the door, when Peeta pushes her up against it. Welcoming his kiss, and enjoying the feel of the door behind her, she runs her fingers through his hair and holds him close. She reaches for his shirt, and they break the kiss long enough to pull their shirts off.  
Resuming the kiss, he reaches for her pants and she reaches for the button on his jeans. 

When they are finished pulling and tugging on their clothes, Katniss gives him a sly look. She gets on her hands and knees on the edge of the bed. He knows what she wants, and it brings him a strange comfort to know that this part of her hasn’t changed. He comes to her, already hard and ready when she hands him a condom. While he is putting on the condom, she wiggles her hips as if to tease him. He answers with a moan, a gentle on the roundness before him and then enters her hard and fast. 

Her hair is still in a braid. He picks it up and gently wraps it in his fist. She answers him with a moan as he starts pumping and giving her hair a pull. She finds her release quickly, several times in fact, when he comes with a near shout. She collapses on the bed with him following behind her. 

He gets up to throw away the condom, when he gets back to the bed, she’s already under the covers and mostly asleep. 

Kpkpkpkp

That week is a busy one for everyone. Somehow Peeta is coaxed into working some hours in the bakery. He just has to come and make pies for the Thanksgiving orders. Katniss is at the shop working, and getting ready for her own after Thanksgiving sale. She would be closed on Friday, but she would be open on Saturday. 

Because of Graham’s heart attack, Bram and Missy will cook the Mellark meal this year. That way, if Graham get too tired, he and Anna could go ahead and leave if they wanted to. Peeta would be cooking at the Everdeen house for them and their friends. 

Wednesday night finds them, along with Jack and Lily, and Prim and Rory, gathered in the kitchen. Katniss and Peeta are doing the prep work for the next day, and the rest of the adults are playing chutes and ladders with Jack. 

Katniss notices that Peeta went into the pantry five minutes ago and hasn’t come back out. She steps closer to the door to glance in to see what he is doing when she hears a sniff. Going on in, she sees Peeta wiping his eyes. Gently she puts her hand on his shoulder and he turns to her. He pulls her in for a hug, and whispers in her hair, “I feel like I have missed so much. When will I stop feeling this way?”

She whispers back, “When you start making more new memories with us. You are here now. That is what matters.” Giving him a squeeze and a kiss on his cheek, she pulls back. She wipes the tears from his eyes. “I’m so glad that you are here. And I know Jack is, too. Come on. We still have to finish the pies.”

He rolls up the hand towel he has in his waistband and pops her on the bottom. “I’m coming, woman. You are talking to the pie master. I will have the pies in the oven in no time.” He grabs her arm before she leaves the pantry. “I adore you. Thank you for letting me back in. Thank you for letting me get to know Jack.”

The next morning is a flurry of activity as Peeta starts the rolls and Katniss starts to make the dressing. And getting the turkey ready for the oven. Peeta wants to take Katniss and Jack to Bram’s for lunch, and then back in time for the dinner at the Everdeen house. 

When they arrive at Bram’s, it’s everyone is busy. Peeta helps Katniss and Jack with their coats and guides them into his brother’s house. Tyler meets them at the door, ready to play. Molly follows after the boys when Tyler asks Jack if he wants to see his room. Rye and Candice are setting the table for them. 

As soon as they clear the front door it is opens again, letting in Graham and Anna. Wanting to help his dad, Peeta eases his coat off and tries to help him to a chair. Graham stops and pulls back. “I’m fine Peeta. Let’s go sit down before I see the grandkids.”

The kids come running back down the hallway when they hear Graham’s voice. They come to a stop in front of him, waiting for something, just not sure what. When Graham opens his arms, and they hear an adult say, “Be gentle with Papa!” they slowly come forward. Molly is the first to move, stepping forward so Graham can help the 20 month old when she says, “up.”

Next is Tyler, who sits beside Graham on the couch. Then Jack sits on his other side. They begin to talk to their papa, when Anna walks into the kitchen. Her boys and their wife, fiancé, and girlfriend all stop to look at her. Clearing her throat she begins, “I know that I have acted horribly in the past. And for that I do apologize. After almost losing your father, I see things differently now. We are here for but a moment, a flickering of an eye. We all have done horrible things to one another. And for that, I am so sorry. I know some of you may or may not forgive me. But I hope one day you will.”

The boys and their partners listen for a moment. It is Katniss who goes to her first and offers her a hug. Not saying anything else, she steps away so everyone else can offer hugs too. 

Katniss and Peeta leave soon after they eat with a promise that Bram and his family and Rye and Candice will stop by later. Lily has put one of the turkeys in the oven for them, and Peeta gets the grill going for the second. Lily and Prim had also finished a lot of the sides while Katniss and Peeta were gone, so now it is just time to wait. Haymitch soon shows up with by Finnick and Annie not far behind. Rye and Candice arrive a little later and tell peeta that Bram will be along as soon as Molly finishes her nap. 

When everyone is seated it’s a late seven o’clock. Before they start to eat, Lily stands up and clears her throat. Once she has everyone’s attention, she begins, “Every Thanksgiving, my husband Jack,” little Jack sits up straighter at the mention of his name sake, “Would go around the table and have everyone say what they are thankful for. Even when the girls were little we did this. So now if you would allow it, we are going to continue. Rory has asked to be first, so we will start with him.”

Rory stands up nervously and only looks at Prim. “I asked to be first because what I have to be thankful for depends on the next couple of minutes. Prim already knows how I feel about her, and I think she feels the same about me. I couldn’t be more proud of what she has accomplished since she started medical school. But now,” he gets down on one knee in front of her, and pulls out a little blue box. “I have to ask her a very important question. Primrose, would you marry me?”

With a big sniff, Prim answers, “Rory Hawthorne, I would be honored to be your bride.” 

As Rory shows her the ring, Haymitch says from the end of the table, “The boy has some balls doing it in front of everyone. What if she had said no?” he grunts when Lily hits his arm. 

So begins the thankful words for that year. 

It is later, when everyone has gone home, Haymitch is passed out on the couch, and Jack is in the bed. Lily sits at the island, watching and talking quietly with Katniss and Peeta while they finish cleaning up the kitchen. 

“How is the cabin? Do you think it will be warm enough for this winter?” asks Lily.

Peeta answers, “It’s very solid. It could even snow and it would be warm. And I bought two cords of wood from the neighbor next door.”

Haymitch perks up at this to say with a slur, “Hell, boy, I would have given you a deal on some logs…”

“Oh now Haymitch. You know with as much as Peeta has been gone to check on his dad he doesn’t have time to chop wood,” scolds Katniss. “Besides I put in new windows last year, and they are well insulated. And the gas furnace is only a couple of years old. Peeta should be warm.”

Peeta just shakes his head with a grin. Being with Katniss for Thanksgiving feels good. He is putting up the dried dishes when Lily says, “I do have a question for you two.” At her words, Peeta and Katniss both give her their attention and even Haymitch staggers over to the island so he can hear what she is going to say. “Does Jack know?”

Katniss looks down nervously, Peeta clears his throat and Haymitch demands, “Does Jack know what?”

“Mama…” begins Katniss.

Lily continues, “Does Jack know that Peeta is his father yet?”

“What do you mean Peeta is my daddy?”

 

Its kind of a cliffhanger…


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is it folks. As usual I don’t own anything, except for Jack. I need to thank sohypothetically for working on this while on vacation!! If you get a chance, and haven’t already, go read her stuff. It is so good!! I also need to thank jojo and miss for helping me plot, and nonnie for reading. And the lovely guests who commented, thank you!! Each review means a lot!! 
> 
> When I was doing “research” for this chapter, I asked several friends of mine who are teachers who a child in this situation would act. They all told me basically the same thing, the weird separation anxiety, pitching fits, and even having accidents. But I need to thank those lovely ladies for their help and professional opinions. 
> 
> And now, my humble offering…

Jack stands frozen on the steps. Peeta, his friend Peeta, is his daddy? He barely notices Mommy coming over to him, but he does see Peeta. He doesn’t even think about it, but leaps into his arms. Daddies catch their little boys, don’t they? Wrapping Daddy in the biggest hug he can, he looks at Mommy and holds out his arm to bring Mommy into the hug too. 

“Now we can be a family,” Jack sighs. 

Katniss pulls back a little so she can see his face. “Are you ok, Bear?”

“Oh yes, Mommy. Peeta is my best friend, and now he is my daddy. This is the best present of all.”

They are still standing on the stairs when Mommy says, “How about if we go upstairs and talk about this?”

Katniss mummers a, “goodnight” to Lily and Haymitch and leads her boys upstairs. She goes quickly to her room, with Peeta closing the door behind. They all go over to the bed and sit down. “Jack, do you remember when I told you that babies come from their mommy’s tummies?”

Jack gives her a serious nod and Katniss fiddles with her braid. “Well, it takes a mommy and a daddy to make a baby. Like Daniel. His daddy is Gale and his mommy is Madge. My mommy is nana and my daddy is papa. Peeta’s mommy is Ms. Anna. Peeta’s daddy is Mr. Graham. I am your mommy and Peeta,” she chokes up as she says his name, “is your daddy. He isn’t your daddy just because we decided that he wants to be your daddy…”

“Which I do, Jack. More than anything,” Peeta interrupts.

“But where have you been Pet- daddy, I mean. Do I call you Daddy?”

Peeta answers him with a hug. “I would love for you to call me Daddy. I’ve been working, I guess. I’m here now. And that is what matters.”

“Do you understand, Bear? About the mommy and the daddy part?”

“Yes Mommy. Can Pet- Daddy I mean, stay with me tonight?”

With a smile, Peeta says, “Of course.”

By this time, Jack’s busy day is catching up with him. He gives his parents another nod and snuggles in Peeta’s arms. Very sleepily he says, “Peeta, don’t leave me. Stay please.”

Then the sleep he has been fighting for so long catches him. His eyes close and it sounds like Peeta’s voice is in his dreams when he says, “Always, Son.”

Kpkpkpkpkp

Jack wakes up in his mommy’s bed snuggled against the frosty fall morning in between his parents. If he didn’t have to go potty so bad, he would go back to sleep. He untangles himself from the covers and where Peeta has his arm thrown over him. 

Coming back from the bathroom, he remembers what happened last night. Nana had said that Peeta was his daddy. Still not sure exactly what that means, he walks over to Peeta’s side of the bed and watches him sleep for a moment. Still not sure what he is looking for, he leans over gives Peeta a kiss on his forehead. Peeta’s eyes open and Jack jumps back a little bit. 

Giving his son a big smile, Peeta opens up his arms for Jack. With a grin, Jack crawls back onto the bed and rests in Peeta’s hug. They both go back to sleep with a smile on their faces.

It’s a little while later when they all wake up and get ready for their day. Katniss is going shopping with Prim, but with the proposal and Jack finding out, they had decided to not hit the Black Friday sales this year.

The little family goes down to the kitchen with the smells of coffee and pancakes welcoming them. Lily and Prim greet them and Katniss pulls the two women into the pantry to tell them what was said last night, and that if Jack asks anything to answer it the best they can without putting the blame on any one person or to tell Jack to ask Mommy or Daddy. 

They all sit down to eat breakfast along with Haymitch who slept in the guest room. The conservation is light considering what happened last night, and answering the questions that the now sober Haymitch has. 

“How long have you and the Hawthorne boy been seeing each other?” Haymitch asks Prim. 

“It seems like forever.” 

Lily smiles. “I’ll never forget your junior prom. Rory was so nervous to ask you. He was so sure you wouldn’t go with him since he was just a friend…”

Prim interrupts with a laugh, “He kept on tripping on his shoelaces. I told him to double-knot them like Peeta does and he wouldn’t have that problem. But when we had that first slow dance I just knew right then that he was going to be mine.” Everyone at the table can hear the dreaminess in her voice. 

Until Jack interrupts the quiet, “Mommy, what is Aunt Prim talking about?”

“Don’t you remember Rory giving Prim a ring last night?” Jack nods and she continues, “Well, that means that they are going to get married and Prim won’t live here anymore.”

“But Mommy, where is your ring?”

“What ring, Bear?”

“The ring that says you are going to marry Pet- I mean Daddy. That way we can be a family.”

“Jack, why did you say that?”

“You said that Madge and Gale are Daniel’s Mommy and Daddy. They live together. Ms. Anna and Mr. Graham are Daddy’s Mommy and Daddy and they live together. So you and Daddy need to be a family too and get married and live here with me.”

She hears Haymitch cough to hide his laughter. Giving him a look, she stumbles over her words to Jack, “But Jack, sometimes mommies and daddies don’t live together. They make sure that the kids get to spend time with everyone. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

Peeta chimes in, “I think what Mommy is trying to say is that even if we don’t live together, we both love you so much. And we are still a family. I will keep coming here on the weekends to see you. Don’t worry; now that I’m here, I’m not leaving you again.”

Even though there is still a look of confusion on his face, Jack nods. 

Kpkpkpkp

It is later that afternoon when Katniss mentions that she needs to go to the shop to finish getting ready for the sale on Saturday. Peeta wants to go by his parents’ house to check on Graham and then come by the shop to meet her after she is finished. Jack is supposed to go play with Daniel for the afternoon.

“Bear, do you have all of your things that you are taking to Daniel’s?” Katniss calls to him. 

“I’m not going,” Jack replies. “I want to stay with Daddy.”

Their eyes meet over his head. Peeta with a question and Katniss with a shrug. “Bear,” she says, “I’ve got to go finish setting up the displays. Peeta is going to go check on Mr. Graham, err- Grandpa?”

“Papa,” Peeta says. “Tyler and Molly call him Papa.”

She gets his coat off of the hooks by the door and helps him into it. “Wow, another Papa. We’ve always called him Mr. Graham. But you need to go play with Daniel. We will come and get you in a little bit. Ok?” All of a sudden there are tears in his eyes. Immediately concerned, she gathers him in her arms. “What is a matter? Why are you crying?”

“Daddy is leaving. And I can’t go too! Mommy, he might leave me again,” Jack sobs. 

He takes Jack from her, and says, “What do you mean I might leave you again? I’m never going to do that. You are stuck with me.” He lifts Jack’s chin so he can look into his eyes. “I love you. There are going to be times when you won’t see me because I’ll be at work or something. But sooner or later you will see me again. I promise. How about if we do this? We let Mommy go work some. And I know! We will go see Mr. Graham and then go see Daniel?”

With a hiccup, Jack nods. 

After Katniss goes to the shop, the boys go to the Mellark’s house. Thankful that no one else but his Dad is home, they come in to see Graham sitting on the couch watching football. Instead of running to greet his papa, Jack hangs back, holding tight to Peeta’s leg. Not entirely sure about what to do, Peeta joins his dad on the couch and settles Jack onto his lap. 

Graham looks at them with puzzlement. “What happened?”

“We had a busy night. Everyone came over and we had a good dinner. Rory proposed to Prim, and Jack found out that I’m his dad.”

A look of pure joy makes its home on Graham’s face. He reaches out to Jack, “Can I have a hug?” 

Jack pauses for a moment, with a whispered reminder to be gentle from Daddy, climbs over to his papa’s lap. “Does this mean that you are my papa too?”

“Yes it does. I belong to you. You can call me Papa if you want to.”

“I think I want to.”

“I want you to.” Looking up to Peeta, he says, “Will you tell me later what happened?”

“Of course, Dad. Jack, do you know what else this means?” when Jack shakes his head, he continues, “This means that Tyler and Molly are your cousins. Their dad is my brother.”

“I have cousins now?”

“You do. I saw how well you played with them yesterday. They will always be your family too,” Graham answers. “And uncles. You have an Uncle Bram and an Uncle Rye now too.”

Jack tucks his head under Graham’s chin, and Peeta sneaks out his cell phone and quietly takes a picture. “But what if they don’t like me?” Neither his Papa nor his daddy can miss the quiver in his voice. 

“Jack, they love you already. They love you because you are you. You are Jack, a four year old boy who likes to draw pictures to help others feel better, who likes to play with his friends, who loves his mommy, and who is Peeta’s son. You are one of us. And that means that we are family. Nothing will ever change that,” Graham tells him. 

Kpkpkpkp

Arriving at the Hawthorne’s, the boys immediately announce that they want to go play outside even though the temperatures are dropping. Bundling them up, their dads join them out in the yard. 

“Did Katniss tell you what happened last night?”

With a thoughtful look, Gale says, “No, I haven’t talked to her. Madge might have. What happened?”

“Jack overheard Lily ask when we were going to tell Jack that I was his dad.”

“Damn. What happened?”

“We talked about it. He asked some questions and wondered when we were going to start living together like mommy and daddy’s do. But he seems to be happy for the most part. I mentioned dropping him off here and then coming back and he started crying and saying that I wouldn’t ever come back. And then we went to see Dad, and he was worried that Bram and Rye wouldn’t like him.”

Gale thinks for a moment before he says, “Did Katniss ever tell you how Jack was before you met him?”

Puzzled, Peeta asks, “What do you mean?”

“Before the boys started school last year, he would just go to the shop with Katniss, and be a happy little fellow. Once he started school, he started noticing the other kids and parents. He asked me about it several times. Stuff like, ‘where is my Daddy? Why doesn’t my Daddy remember my birthday? I wish Daddy would come play catch with me.’ I would answer him the best I could and how I thought Katniss would want me to. And then one day at school, Tyler got hurt. He cried for Bram. It was when he hurt his leg pretty bad. Didn’t he break it, or almost break it?”

Peeta replies, “He almost broke it. I remember that. He had to wear a brace for a while.”

Gale continues, “After that day, when Jack would get mad, or sad, or well anything that wasn’t going the way he wanted it to, he would say stuff like, ‘if my daddy was here…’ or ‘if my daddy would only come to see me…’ it’s almost like he was building you up to be his Superman.” Gale takes a deep breath and calls out to the boys, “Its getting cold. We need to go inside in a minute.” He starts talking to Peeta again, “How do you tell a four year old that you aren’t Superman?”

Peeta wonders out loud as guilt settles in his stomach, “Why didn’t she get in touch with me? What was so against us that kept us from being together through all of this? I have screwed up Jack…”

“Hey, man! Jack is a great kid. And I know that you haven’t been around many kids, but they are tough little critters. This is not going to destroy him. You, coming back into his life is going to make it so much better. Just take it a step at a time. That’s all any of us can do.” 

Kpkpkpkp

She is still in that sweet spot of starting to wake up, but not fully awake, when she feels him behind her. His hardness presses into her in all the right places. His lips caress her ear, bringing forth goose pimples and a giggle. His hands come up to her breasts, to one of his favorite spots, and finds her nipple. Teasing it in-between his fingers, he moans deep in his throat as it hardens. She wiggles her bottom in response, and is rewarded when he quickly rolls her onto her back. Giving her a grin, he then latches onto the nipple he was just teasing and is rewarded with an echoing moan from her. He starts to tease the other, so that it won’t feel left out. Her hand makes its way to his hardness where it waits for her to find it. Giving him a squeeze, and a tug, she looks over at the clock. Relieved that it’s early enough not to have to worry about interruptions, she says with a groan, “I need you inside of me, please.”

He is quickly inside of her, making love to her. She comes first, with him pulling out and spilling his seed onto her stomach. He gives her a kiss, and she giggles to him, “You made a mess! I am going to take a shower.”

He stands and scoops her up, in the process getting a little bit on him, too. “Oh look, now I have to take a shower too.” He pouts and gives her a wink. 

“But first, take me to the door, please.”

With a puzzled look, he takes out over there. She reaches down, locks the door, and says, “I need my shower and to pee. Let’s go!”

Kpkpkpkpkp

Once they are dressed, but before they go to wake up Jack, Katniss grabs Peeta and pull him for a hug. He gladly returns it, and then whispers to her, “What is that for?”

“Nothing really. It just feels good to have told Jack. I didn’t think I was hiding so much, but I guess I was.” She gives him a timid kiss on his jaw. “I’m glad you came to Daniel’s birthday party now.”

This time he gives her a kiss on her cheek and then kisses his way to her ear. “I am, too. I didn’t realize that I missed you so much.” This time his kisses lead the way where he nuzzles her ear lobe, when they hear Jack, with panic in his voice call for them. They pull apart, with Peeta giving her one more kiss on her nose, then he calls out, “We’re still in here, Jack.” 

Jack comes running into the bedroom, he runs to Peeta and says, “There you are. I thought you had left.”

He crouches so he is eye level with Jack. “I promise, I will tell you when I do need to leave. That way, you will know where I’m at. Now, are you ready for some pancakes?”

With a very enthusiastic, “Yes!” from Jack, they head downstairs.

Father and son get busy making the batter, while Katniss gets out of the way, happy to talk to them while they work. “What do we want to do today? I need to start on Christmas shopping, do you two want to go to the mall? Or we can just be lazy people.”

Peeta nods. “Whatever you want to do. Jack, have you figured out what you want for Christmas?”

“I want a bike. And a helmet. And superman stuff. A superman bike would be cool,” he says, getting more and more excited. “And then I want to get Daniel a new Spiderman because the legs fell off of his old one. And then I have to get something for Tyler. And for Molly too, I guess. How am I ever going to remember all of this?”

“We will make a Christmas list, write down who we need to buy presents for, and then figure out what to give them. Are you going to make presents this year?”

“Can I paint balls again? That is so much fun. Daddy you will have to help me and paint too.”

“Tell me about painting? What do you do?” Peeta asks.

Jack starts to have a hard time stirring the batter. “Daddy, help me. It’s not moving anymore.” 

“Here let me have it. Tell me about painting.”

“I don’t know. I just paint them. Then Mommy hangs them up.”

“You remember. I put bows on them and you give them away as presents. It’s something we started when he was a baby. He would finger paint the Christmas glass balls. Now he uses his paint brushes and they are wonderful. It’s a tradition.” Katniss says.

“Yes, Mommy. I know,” he sighs, clearly tired of talking about ornaments and instead lets his stomach lead when he says, “I’m starving! Aren’t those pancakes done yet?”  
Shaking the spatula at him with a smile, Peeta says, “Soon, son.” He motions for him to come closer. “See the bubbles? That means we can flip them now.”

“Can I do it?” Jack asks.

He picks him up, shifts him so he is sitting more on his hip, and hands him the spatula. Jack gently slides it under the pancake and in an unpracticed motion, flips it over. It lands about 5 inches on top of another pancake. Not letting that bother him, he slides the spatula under another one, and this time, the flip lands the pancake almost back where it needs to be.

After they eat and are getting ready to watch a movie that Jack picked out, they get a call from Haymitch. The Christmas tree farm has just dropped off their first delivery of the season, and he knows to call Katniss right away. They bundle up, for it is a grey, overcast day that hints of the snow that may fall later. 

Since they are the first one’s there, they quickly narrow it down to three different trees. Jack makes the final decision and soon they are on the way back home. They stop first to pick up extra lights, some groceries for dinner and hot chocolate.

Even though the tree is bigger than what she usually picks out, she and Peeta are able to wrestle it in the door with Jack trying to help. After they place it in the stand, and make sure that it has plenty of water for now, Katniss quickly locates the decorations and pulls out the lights. She starts to untangle them while Jack starts to dig for his favorite ornaments, pulling everything else out in the process. Mother and son start to bicker while Peeta watches them with a big smile on his face, from the kitchen where he is making hot chocolate and lunch.

They eat while they decorate, and soon the entire house is ready for Christmas. Peeta loves it of course, and even asks Katniss about it when Jack is upstairs looking for something in his room. “Where did all of this Christmas spirit come from? I knew you liked the holidays but I’ve never seen you do all this.”

She is putting the finishing touches on the village with the train set, when she turns to him with a shrug. “I guess after Jack was born, I wanted to do more than just a tree. So I started that year and decorated everything. I just wanted Christmas to be perfect for him.”

Peeta steps behind her and wraps her in a hug. “Do you remember our first Christmas together?”

“Before or after we kissed?”

He turns her around. “The one at Madge’s party.”

“Our first kiss.”

“And,” he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box, “I gave you this. It belongs to you.” He pulls out his grandmother’s pearl necklace.   
Her eyes fill with tears. “I hated giving it back to you. It felt like I was losing you for forever that day,” her voice catches on the sob that escapes. “I didn’t want to let you go, but I thought I couldn’t keep you, either.”

He pulls her to him and says soothingly, “What is it you told me the other day? ‘You are here now? That is what matters’.” He tilts her chin so he is looking into her eyes. He kisses her, and then kisses the tears that are running down her cheeks, and returns to kiss her lips. When he feels her arms pulling him closer, he says into her hair, “Hopefully this Christmas is the beginning of the forever we have been chasing. I need you and Jack so much.”

She wants to relax into him, to promise him forever too, but instead she takes a deep breath to calm the panic rising up in her chest. He seems like he is waiting for her to say something, when Jack comes bounding down the stairs. She steps away from Peeta, not wanting to meet his eyes and instead turns her attention to something her son is saying. She gives herself a mental shake and focuses on what he is telling her about hanging up the lights in his room. She mummers, “I’ll be right back,” and runs upstairs to her room.  
She closes the door and collapses against it, sobbing as she sinks down onto the floor. She knows that she is being silly, and doesn’t even understand what it is that is holding her back from giving her entire self to Peeta. But there is something inside that just isn’t ready yet. She must sit there for at least ten more minutes before she gets up and goes to wash her face in her bathroom. 

When she is done she studies herself in the mirror. She sees red-rimmed eyes that are almost glowing from her tears. But in her eyes, she sees happiness. She sees the beginning of hope. And soon she is interrupted by Jack knocking and asking her to come see his room. 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

Katniss doesn’t really ignore Peeta for the rest of the evening, but she doesn’t make an effort to talk to him either. They stand beside one another and fix supper, eat together, and she even makes the suggestion that Jack can stay up a little later since Peeta will be going back to Charlotte in the morning. She tries not to meet his eyes after that, but instead tells Jack to color with Peeta, while she starts to get everything ready for their regular Monday morning routine. She knows that his eyes watch her as she puts away dishes and gets Jack’s bag ready for school. She hears the dryer beep in the basement, and slips downstairs to get his clothes, even folding them as she takes them out of the dryer, which is something she never does. 

When she eases back upstairs, Peeta and Jack are sleep on the couch. Before she wakes them up, she takes Peeta’s clothes on upstairs and comes back for her son. Gently she picks him up, glad that she doesn’t wake up Peeta too, and takes him upstairs. After she tucks him in, she goes back to tell Peeta to go on to bed. 

Surprisingly, he hasn’t moved from where she left him. She eases down beside him, and lets her eyes roam where her fingers don’t dare to. They have been so busy the past couple of days, that they barely had any time together. And she has missed him. 

He opens his eyes, and seems happy to see her. He shifts his weight and asks, “Where is Jack?”

“I went on ahead and put him in the bed. He was sound asleep and didn’t move a muscle when I laid him down. Peeta, I’ve been thinking,”

He quickly puts his finger over her lips. “I’ve been thinking too. I didn’t mean to startle you. I just want you to have the necklace. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overwhelm you.”

“You didn’t. I mean you did, oh, you know I’m not good at talking. But I do want to tell you that I do want you.” She looks down so he can’t see her eyes. “Just, it seems sometimes that you are light years ahead of me even after all this time, and I’m trying to keep up with you. Be patient with me.”

He pulls her down so that her head is resting on his chest. “I’m sorry, baby. I will wait for forever if I have to. As long as we have hope, we can make it through anything.”

Kpkpkpkpkp

The muffled voices of his parents downstairs wake him up. It’s still dark outside so he knows that it’s not time to get up. The squeak of the front door along with the sound of the bell on the screen, makes his heart beat faster. ‘Who is leaving?’ he thinks as he jumps out of his bed. 

When he makes it to the bottom of the stairs, all he can see is Daddy walking out the door with his bag after getting a kiss from Mommy. Immediately he starts to sob, blindly going to Daddy. He feels himself being picked up as he tries to catch his breath and sobs into Daddy’s shoulder, “Daddy, don’t leave me, please. Daddy, can I go too?”

He feels Daddy’s hug. But he refuses to be comforted, because all he can think about is that Daddy is leaving. He squeezes him as tight as he can when he hears Mommy start to talk too. He knows that he should listen, but he just got his daddy. And now he is leaving. He looks at Mommy and lunges at her, so she can bring him into her arms. 

He hiccups and tries to catch his breath. “Why is Daddy leaving? Did I do something bad?”

He hears Mommy say, “Oh, my Bear. You haven’t done anything. Daddy has to go to work now. Remember I told you last night?”

“He can’t leave,” Jack says with a heaving breath. “Why can’t Daddy go to work with you? Why does he have to leave?” Looking at Daddy, he asks, “Daddy can’t you go to work with Mommy? Then you can stay here with me.”

A tear rolls down Daddy’s cheek. Soon it is joined by another. “Son, I will be back as soon as I can. I promise I will always do what I can to always come back to you.” Peeta takes Jack from Katniss and hugs him tight. “I love you so much. And you will never do anything so bad that I will leave you.”

Their teary eyes meet over Jack’s little head where it rests against Peeta’s chest, tucked up under his chin. Then they hear Jack’s muffled voice ask, “I wasn’t a bad boy?”

“Oh, son. You will never be so bad that I will leave you. I love you. You are my son.” Peeta moves jack around so he can look him in the eyes. “Look at me, I have to go to work. I will be back on Friday. I promise. But for now, I need you to stay here and take care of Mommy. And you have to go to work to take care of Posy. Can you do that for me?”

Jack gives him a solemn nod, and then Daddy gives him another kiss. “I love you, Son.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

Then Jack watches Daddy kiss Mommy and smiles in spite of his tears. 

Kpkpkpkp 

Time goes by quickly that week and Katniss tries to keep Jack busy. She doesn’t think too much about it when he has an accident at nap time on Tuesday when he doesn’t wake up in time to go to the potty. That sometimes happens, Ms. Annie said. What isn’t normal is the crying fit that Jack has after he wakes up to wet pants. Jack is also mean to Daniel on Wednesday, who wants to play with Jack and Tyler, but Jack pushes him away and says, “He is only playing with his cousin today.”

Normally Annie wouldn’t call a parent because of what happens, but Katniss told her on Monday about Peeta leaving to go to work, so she knew that Jack was acting out because of Peeta leaving. When Katniss gets to school, the youngest Hawthorne is still in tears, heartbroken over what Jack did. She goes straight to Daniel to comfort him, with Jack watching from his time-out spot next to the cubbies. She motions for Jack to come to her so he can apologize, greeted with the question, “Will Daddy still love me?”

That is why he is doing this. He thinks that Peeta doesn’t love him. She blinks fast to try to stop the tears, and says, “Oh, Bear. Daddy loves you so much. Just right now he has to go to work. You know how sometimes Mommy has to go out into the woods? Well, Daddy works during the week in Charlotte. He will be home soon. Now I know that it’s hard for you to put into words how you are feeling, but you can try to tell me. I want you to tell me how you are feeling.” She looks at both Daniel and Jack. “Daniel, I already talked to your mommy, and she said that it was ok if you come with us. I have an idea that might make everyone feel better.”

“Mommy, can Tyler come too?”

“No, I think this time it should just us. And maybe your mommy, can come too.” She pokes Daniel in the side playfully. 

They quickly gather their bags and jackets, and join Katniss in the Jeep. After making sure that they are buckled up and putting on her own seatbelt, she smiles to herself when she hears Jack say that he was sorry for hurting his bestest friend. She feels Jack’s relief when Daniel, who sounds a lot like Gale says, “Its ok. I still love you.”

So that the boys can spend some time together, Madge gets off work early and joins them. The weather is too yucky to go far, so Madge invites them over to come play.   
Once the boys are busy and can’t hear them talking in the kitchen, Madge sees how tired her friend is, and pours the wine. “Talk. How did Jack find out about Peeta?”

Katniss immediately starts to tell her what happened over the Thanksgiving holiday. When she is finished, Madge silently reaches into her freezer and gets the tequila. She pours them both a shot and they salute each other and drink. “How do you feel about Peeta now?”

Katniss wipes the tear in her eye from the shot, and says, “I don’t know. Don’t look at me like that. I’m trying to figure it out. He did freak me out a little bit when he gave me the necklace back—“

“What necklace?”

She pulls it out from under her shirt. “He gave me his grandmother’s pearl necklace back—“

“Why did it scare you?”

She hugs herself and shrugs. “I don’t know. I mean, now we know that he didn’t really cheat. Glimmer was, well she is dead. But I can’t help but to feel that he might cheat on me. I mean I’m not all that. I’m not particularly pretty and I have no personality at all.” She is interrupted by Madge’s snort. “I can be hateful if you want to know the truth. It’s like he is just wasting his time with us because he feels sorry for Jack and is just waiting for someone better to come along before he leaves again. I won’t be able to handle it if he takes off again. So I guess, well, I know a part of me is holding back from trusting him again.” This time the tears in her eyes are from her still broken-heart. “I’m trying to forget what happened, Madge. I really am. Jack needs his daddy.”

“But what do you need?” 

“I don’t need anything.”

Madge grabs her arms and turns her so she can look into her eyes. “Katniss, I have known you for a long time. A very long time. I know you can’t see it, but Peeta Mellark has always been in love with you. Ever since we were little, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you. Please don’t keep punishing him for a mistake that he made years ago. Now if he had actually cheated… I would help you make his body disappear. But he has been coming over every weekend. Yes, it’s been to see Jack, but there is something different in your eyes. And it’s not just because you are getting laid.” Katniss tries to say something, but Madge continues, “I know you want Jack to know his daddy. I want that too. But please don’t push him away because you are afraid. And don’t tell yourself that this is all for Jack. You are doing this for you, too.”

Madge pours them another shot. After another salute and another drink, Katniss says “I’m still scared Madge. He can hurt me all he wants. But if he hurts Jack—“

“Why do you think he’s going to hurt Jack? Let me put it like this; there are normal, everyday things that we can’t help. Like traffic jams, missed flights, falling off of ladders. But if Peeta can help it, he would be there for his son every day and every second. He might not know how to be a daddy yet, but when he gets the basic stuff figured out he will be a wonderful one. And maybe even a great husband one day. It’s ok to be scared, but don’t camp out here. You have to keep going forward. Now, is Prim coming home for supper?”

“No, she is working tonight.”

“Well good. Then you and Jack are staying for supper. Come on, you can help me cook. Your biscuits have always been better than mine…”

Kpkpkpkpkp

Wanting to surprise Jack, Peeta comes home on a Thursday, a day earlier than expected. So when she hears the knock on the door, Katniss thinks, why is he knocking? He knows by now to just come in. Going to the door, she is ready to scold him, when instead she is met by a snarky, “Merry Christmas, brainless!”

Speechless, Katniss gives her a hug. Jack hears the commotion and comes running to join in the hug. “Hey Jo!” he greets her.

“Merry Christmas, Lumber-Jack.” She bends to give him a hug too. “Are you ready for Santa?”

“I don’t need Santa Claus this year.”

Quirking an eyebrow and glancing at his mommy, she asks, “What do you mean you don’t need Santa?”

“I already got my present this year.”

“Oh and what can that be Lumber-Jack?” she asks ruffling his curls.

Right when he is getting ready to answer, Peeta comes in the door, “Whose truck is that in the driveway—hey Jo!” 

This time it is Katniss’s turn to quirk an eyebrow at Jo as she stumbles a choked hello she gives Peeta. Katniss tries not to laugh outright at the surprise on Jo’s face. Especially when her greeting is followed by Jack’s excited, “Daddy’s home!!”

When they finally get away from the doorway and get the door closed against the cold, Peeta gives her a quick kiss, and heads upstairs to put away his bags. Jack follows him, talking as fast as he can to tell him everything that happened this week.

The friends stand there in silence for a moment, when Jo is interrupted when Katniss tells her, “Wait until Jack is asleep. If you would call me every once in a while, I could have told you.”

“Well sorry, I was on the backside of northern Canada bidding on lumber for next summer before it started snowing. I haven’t used my cell phone in two months!”

“Where are you staying?”

“Haymitch rented me one his just-finished cabins. I’m only here until New Year’s, then I’ve got to check on some crews.”

That’s when Peeta and jack come back down stairs. Jack is still chattering away when Peeta kisses Katniss this time, on the temple along with a back rub. Jo doesn’t miss any of the affection he gives her friend despite being gone for the majority of the year, she is very protective over. 

Dinner goes by quickly, everyone eating hurriedly for one reason or another. When they are done, Jack drags Jo over to Daniel’s house so he can show her something that he and Daniel did, and to visit with Gale and Madge. While his parents clean up. 

Peeta wonders, “Did Jo tell you she was coming?” 

“Actually, I was kind of expecting her before now. She usually tries to come in before Thanksgiving. She wants to know what happened.”

He nods. “I wouldn’t accept anything else.” He starts the dishwasher as she wipes off the counter. He catches her and gives her a kiss, which she eagerly returns. He pulls her close to him, and they enjoy the feeling of each other’s arms. “It’s been a long week. I couldn’t stop thinking about you and Jack. And then when you told me what a week he’s had, I wanted to come straight home.” 

“Can I be selfish and tell you that I wanted you here too? Not just because of Jack. I mean, if you had been here maybe this week would have been better.” She takes a deep breath and decides to take a chance like Madge said to. “I missed you, too,” she says with a nervous smile, and is rewarded when he kisses her again. 

They are interrupted when Jo and Jack come back from the Hawthorne’s. Katniss takes Jack on upstairs to take a bath and get ready for bed. But not before she gives Jo a look that says to be nice, leaving her and Peeta alone. Jo for once listens to her friend, and instead of asking about what happened, she asks about Peeta’s life in Atlanta. They talk for several minutes before both of them are asked to come upstairs to wish Jack a goodnight. 

When the three of them go back downstairs after tucking in Jack and turning off his light, jo immediately asks them, “Ok, I want to know what in the hell is going on here? I haven’t talked to you,” she looks at Katniss, “since before Daniel’s birthday. And when I finally make it home, you are all snuggled up with Mellark and my Lumber-Jack is calling him Daddy.”

Peeta begins, with Katniss occasionally chiming in, to tell Jo what happened over the past couple of months. For the most part Jo sits there listening and asking the occasional question. When he is finished, Jo just sits there for a moment, looking at the both of them. Quietly she says, “Mellark, outside now.” She gets up, expecting him to follow her. 

Peeta kisses Katniss who looks worried and grabs his coat as he follows Jo outside. Jo gets out a cigarette, leans against the porch railing as she lights it, and studies Peeta. He tries not to be nervous, but he has always been intimated by Johanna Mason. He decides to let her start, since she is the one who wanted him out here. 

“I know that I left, just like you did. But I would still come home and visit them. When she first opened her shop- as she calls it, I talked the boss into ordering from her to help her out. She still doesn’t know that. You tell her, I’ll have to hurt you. My boss still orders from her because she offers the best service. She does the majority of her business online. I know now, that you didn’t cheat. I honestly didn’t think you did the first time. I do have to ask though, where do you see this going in five years? And don’t say we will just have to wait and see.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that, too. This week was one of the hardest weeks I’ve had being away from them.” Jo starts to say something, but he keeps going, “I know you are wondering if it’s just being away from Katniss but it’s being away from Jack. I love them, Jo. I love them together as mother and son. I love Jack as my son, and I love Katniss like I always have. But I’m getting tired of only being here on the weekends. I feel like I’m missing so much. And I’m trying to figure out what the future holds for us.”

“How does Katniss feel about you? What has she told you?”

“Just that she does want me, but to be patient.”

“I’m glad that you are here. They need you more than Katniss will admit. I haven’t asked her, but I would guess that she is scared of you leaving and hurting her again.” This time he starts to interrupt her but she holds up and hand for him to stop. “I know you never intended to the first time. Well, don’t give up. Even if she is still afraid in a year, not that I think it will take that long, then go to therapy or something. Just show her that you are here for her now. That will mean more than anything. I’m going to go say goodbye head out to the cabin. It’s been a long day.” When she walks by him to go into the house, she says, “It will all work out.”

“I hope so. I really do.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas in July!!!!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this. I’m ready to go Christmas shopping. Which I dread because I have no idea what I’m getting for others this year! Except for sohypothetically, I owe her so much for being such a big help!! Thank you dear!! And there is another big thank you for m1129 (yes you Madison!!) it was her idea to give Jack the tablet! Jojo, as always thank you for reading at a moment’s notice!! Oh and sohypothetically, I had another idea for the tablet, Mommy and Daddy can skype each other when Jack is finally asleep… and produce their own you know what!! 
> 
> Anyways… I am hard at work on chapter 15. All I’m going to warn you, I’m not quite ready to wrap this up in a nice neat package with a pretty Christmas bow.
> 
> Oh and there is mention of depression and anxiety in this chapter. I’m not using it to excuse anyone’s behavior. But maybe this family can start to heal its wounds so they can move forward. But if you “don’t feel quite right”, I encourage you to talk to someone. Depression comes in all kind of forms, and we don’t always know what to do. Sometimes you will feel better tomorrow, sometimes you won’t. 
> 
> So Merry Christmas from me, this version of K&P, and Bear, aka, Jack (needs to be Mellark) Everdeen.

The rest of December is a blur of activity. They shop, bake, and eat. They make one big trip to the mall, buying the presents that they can’t find in Panem, with both Katniss and Peeta swearing that they will not be back until after New Year’s. The rest of the time, Peeta is either in her kitchen or the bakery, baking his old memories from his childhood with Jack helping him the entire time. And Katniss eats. Everything. She swears she has gained at least 10 pounds. Peeta promises that he loves it and thinks out loud that it all has gone to her boobs. That of course earns him a slap on the arm and giggle. 

For Christmas Eve they go to Graham and Anna’s for dinner. Tyler gets to show Jack, with Molly trailing behind, all of the things there are to play with at their grandparent’s house, including the swing set left over from their fathers and uncles still in the back yard. Much to everyone’s surprise, Anna asks her sons and their partners to watch the meal that is still cooking so she can put on her coat and go outside too. Everyone watches in amazement as she pushes the boys on the swings and helps Molly down the slide. 

They watch out the window as Graham says behind them, “She has been doing better since I got home. She went to her doctor and he diagnosed her with depression and anxiety. I just wish she would have told someone how she was feeling before now. She doesn’t remember ever feeling any differently. The medicines are working, and she is getting better every day.”

“That’s great, Dad. I’m glad she is getting some help,” Rye says. “Is it because of the depression that she didn’t like us when we were little?”  
Bram hisses, “Rye!” and Peeta gives a pained laugh. 

Graham shakes his head and says, “I don’t know why she acted the way she did. I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping our family together.” He is quiet for a moment when he stops to watch Anna catch Molly coming down the slide. “She really does love you boys. I apologize for what she did to you all of you. I thought that staying married to her would be better than you growing up with divorced parents.”

He is interrupted by the buzzer to get the turkey out of the oven. Bram gets the turkey, which gets the rest of them motivated to finish the preparations. Peeta stops his dad, and says loud enough for all of them to hear, “We know you had your reasons for doing what you did. And I know that the both of you always had the best intentions for us, even if things didn’t always turn out that way. But if you have forgiven her, then I have too.”

Before they can say anything else, Anna and the kids come in from outside. Katniss ushers the children them into the bathroom to wash their hands, while Missy and Candice finish setting the table. Conservation is easy, with Anna joining in and talking to everyone while they sit down. The children hurry and eat, so they can go open presents. The Mellark’s are generous to their new family member trying to make up for lost time, with Jack receiving what Katniss thinks is way too many presents.

When it is time to go, Anna meets Katniss, Peeta, and Jack at the door. Much to their surprise, she gives each one of them a hug, and gives Jack one last present. He sits on the floor to open it, when he is stopped by his grandma. “That present is for you to open when you get home. Give me another hug. I think your parents are ready to go.”

“Can you come see me, Grandma?” 

“We’ll see.” She straightens up and runs her fingers through the Mellark curls. “You tell Mommy to call me.”

Jack throws his arms around her legs and mummers, “Love you.” And then runs out the door to Peeta’s truck. Katniss goes after him, leaving Peeta and Anna still in the doorway.   
“I do love you, son. Your dad said that he mentioned that I went to the doctor. I know that it’s probably too late, but I shouldn’t have done what I did to you and Katniss. I was wrong. And now that I’ve met Jack, I know how much I’ve missed out on. I am sorry for what I did.”

Peeta gathers her in his arms. He is speechless for once, and all he can do is kiss her cheek and turn to follow Katniss and Jack. He stops halfway and rushes back to his mother. He gives her another hug and whispers in her ear, “I love you, Mom. Merry Christmas.” And dashes back down the steps again. 

The short ride home is silent and Jack’s exciting day catches up with him. By the time they are halfway across town, he is asleep. Katniss wants to say something about what happened today, but she knows that this truce with Peeta’s mother is fragile and could be temporary. So instead, she slides across the truck bench seat, and settles beside him. She lays her head on his shoulder, while his arm snakes down to rest on her knee. He turns and gives her a kiss on her forehead and decides to take the long way home.

They pass the houses decorated for Christmas, with their lights blinking in welcome for Santa and the nativity scenes with the cold baby Jesuses that Jack always worries about. The tinsel stars and Christmas trees hang on the street lamps lining Main Street, which is busy with last minute shoppers rushing to finish before nightfall and before the snow starts. 

“The clouds are moving in fast. Wasn’t it sunny just a little while ago?” she asks.

Squeezing her knee, he says, “We might have a white Christmas after all.”

She hugs his arm to her chest and breathes in his scent. Enjoying this closeness, his touch, she rubs her nose along his arm, and thinks, “What did I do without you for so long?”

She jumps a little when he answers her, “Are you telling me that you missed me?”

Her cheeks turn a bright shade of red. “Did I say that out loud?”

He grins at her. “Yes, you did. And I missed you too. Can I tell you something?”

“What?”

He pats her leg in reassurance, and begins, “I’m not giving you your ring back tomorrow.” She tries not to feel hypocritical when relief washes over her. “I did get you a present that I hope you like. I do intend to ask you to marry me again. But I want to do it when it’s just me and you. Not the whole family.”  
About this time, they pull up into the driveway. Softly, she says, “Kiss me.”

He turns to her and searches her face for a minute. Smiling at her, he meets her lips in a gentle kiss. It always amazes her how gentle he is with her. Like she is something precious and fragile. She wants to tell him that she loves him and it feels like he is waiting for her to say it first. But she just can’t right now. So she deepens the kiss instead and tries to pour into that kiss everything she can’t say right now. They cling to each other, breathless, until Jack’s giggle interrupts them. Giving him a smile, they pull apart and get everyone, and the presents, out of the truck. 

As soon as they are in the house, Jack sits down with his presents and starts to go through them. He throws the clothes to the side, and places the toys in the middle. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the present Grandma gave him. He knows that Mommy likes to watch him open his presents, so he picks it up and walks over to where she is doing something in the kitchen. “Mommy, look.”

She stops from wiping down the counter to look at him. “What, Bear?”

“Its Grandma’s present. Can I open it?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait until tomorrow and open it with the rest?”

“No, Mommy. Grandma said I can open it now. Please, can I?”

“Ok, that’s fine. Where is Daddy?” she asks. 

Jack shrugs and says, “I dunno—“at the same time Peeta comes back into the kitchen. 

“Here I am. Is that the present from Grandma?”

“Yes, can I open it now?”

Peeta looks at Katniss to make sure she nods, when she says, “We are waiting for you, Daddy. Go ahead and open it.”

Jack climbs up one of the stools, and opens the present. Katniss is touched when she sees the DVD, of “The Santa Clause”, Superman pajamas, along with Superman socks, movie snacks and even a couple of Christmas books for Jack’s bedtime story. And finger puppets portraying Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Even Peeta is in shock at her thoughtfulness. 

Jack pulls out the movie and starts to go towards the TV, Katniss stops him. “Why don’t we clean up a little bit and finish getting ready for Santa. Then we can take a bath, put on the new Superman pjs and watch the movie. We will even make some sandwiches to eat with it. How does that sound?”

“That sounds great!” Jack yells, then he grabs some presents to take up to his room. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

After they put Jack in the bed, they go back downstairs to do what most parents do on Christmas Eve; Put together toys. They didn’t get Jack a lot, but there was a couple of big things like the new Superman bike he wants, and Peeta has found Jack an art table. It is full of drawers and cubbies, places for paper, and his paints and brushes.   
Katniss brings him a cup of tea after he has been working on the table for almost an hour. He sets down the screwdriver to accept the cup from her and she sits down on the floor beside him. She looks at the directions, and sees that he is only half-way done. “I think this is the first year of actually having to put together toys for him. He is going to love the art table.”

“I hope so. What was I thinking getting something with all of these little drawers?”

She reaches over and takes a sip of his tea. Then she gets the other screw driver, picks up the directions and says, “Lets finish these drawers, and then we will work on the table together.”

Kpkpkpkp

 

Jack, thankfully, sleeps until eight the next morning. He comes running into Katniss’s bedroom as soon as his eyes are open, jumping onto the bed and scooting in between his parents. “Mommy,” he says as he nudges her. “Daddy, wake up. I think Santa came. We need to go see.”

“I’m up, Bear. Daddy is awake too.” This time she nudges Peeta. “Get up, Daddy.”

“I’m up, I’m up.” He then rolls over and starts to tickle Jack who squeals in response. Katniss sits up so she can get out of the way of the wiggling that is happening on the bed. 

While Peeta is distracting Jack, she sneaks into the bathroom. When she comes back out, the boys are gone, but she hears them in the hallway using that bathroom.   
She grabs her phone and runs to the bottom of the steps so she can take pictures of father and son’s first Christmas. They come down the steps together, and seeing both of their faces light up is priceless. Jack runs first to his bike, then to the art table, and then back to his bike- all without saying a word. He goes to his stocking next, pulling out the underwear, socks, candy and an orange. Peeta gives Katniss a questioning look and she shrugs back, not sure what Jack is doing. 

He looks at several more packages, before he turns to Mommy. With tears in his eyes, he says, “I can’t find it Mommy. Santa didn’t bring it.”

 

Motioning for Jack to come to them, she pulls him close. “What is it that you are looking for?”

Jack looks at Peeta like he just has the worst news for him. The tears start falling when he sobs out, “I asked Santa to give you a job here so you don’t have to leave me anymore.”  
Peeta, pulls Jack from Katniss’s arms and wraps him in a hug. “Oh, son. Santa doesn’t bring jobs. I’m trying to work something out with the office. Hopefully, by this summer something will work out. Did you not like what Santa brought you?”

Jack wipes his eyes and his runny nose on Daddy’s sleeve, and says, “I like my bike. Why did he bring me such a big table?”

“Oh have you not looked at it? Go and look in some of those drawers.”

While they are checking out the table and all the hidden goodies hidden in its many drawers, Katniss goes and starts the kettle for tea. She also turns on the oven to put in the cinnamon buns they had made the night before to eat for breakfast. They are having their families over for dinner, instead of lunch, because Lily and Prim are working the early shift at the hospital. After Jack has looked in every little drawer, father and son begin to sort through the presents under the tree. They had decided last week to only open some of them, saving the rest of them for when the entire family is together. 

Jack brings her a little box she hasn’t seen under the tree before now and she gives Peeta a frown. He said that he wasn’t giving her the ring back. Jack is, however, very excited for her to open it. She gingerly pulls the elegant bow off, then slowly and carefully takes the paper off. The box underneath is a jewelry store box. Jack is bouncing in anticipation, and she thinks Peeta is too. She takes the lid off and is met by a beautiful locket.

Delicately, she takes it out of the box. Jack tells her, “Mommy, you have to hurry and look in it.”

Sliding her nail in between the plates, she opens it. On one side is a miniature picture of her and Jack at the aquarium. Then, on the other side, is a solo picture of just Jack. She thinks it’s absolutely perfect, but wonders out loud, “Where is the picture of you, Peeta?”

He blushes to the roots of his hair and says, “I’m not important. The locket is for you and Jack.”

“But I don’t understand. Why you wouldn’t put a picture of yourself in it, too?”

“Daddy, where is your picture? Mommy needs one of you.”

Peeta, quickly wipes his eyes as he pulls Jack into his arms for a hug. “Thank you, son. I think you have just given me the best present ever.”

Jack pulls back, looks at him is confusion, and says, “But Daddy, you haven’t opened your present yet.”

“I did. You have given me the family I have always wanted.”

KPKPKPKP

After everyone has eaten, opened presents and the plates and forks have all been put away, the little family gets another minute alone before Jack goes to bed. Peeta brings out yet another wrapped package for Jack. Katniss gives him a look, and says, “Not another one, Peeta. He’s gotten so much already today.”

“I knew you would say something about it being too much. Think of it as a present for the both of you. Jack can use it to get ready for school, and it might help him with the separation anxiety. Go ahead and open it, Bear.”

Jack tears into the package, and Katniss gasps, “Peeta, that is too much. I told you not to go overboard—“

“Daddy is it a tablet? Is it a tablet like Uncle Bram’s? Can I play games on it?”

“Yes, and there is something even better you can do it with it.” He meets Katniss’s disapproving eyes and says, “I preloaded it, so all you have to do is turn it on. Please don’t be mad. This is going to be a good surprise.”

Peeta turns on the tablet and starts to show Jack which apps are for him. Then he pulls out his cell phone, slides his finger around on the screen. The tablet starts to make a chiming sound and Peeta’s picture pops up on the screen. Jack touches Peeta’s picture and it connects with a screen shot of Peeta smiling. “It’s Daddy! Look Mommy! Daddy is on the tablet. Can you see me, Daddy?”

“I can. We can talk every night like this. So even though I have to go to work, we can still see each other.”

“I would rather have you here, Daddy.”

“I know, Son. But for now, this will have to do. And we will get to still see each other every weekend. Do you want to play some? I think Mommy wants to talk to me.” Jack doesn’t even look up from the tablet as Daddy follows Mommy into the pantry.

As soon as the door to the pantry closes, Katniss is kissing him. He, of course, kisses her back. When they are breathless, clinging to each other, he mummers, “What was that for?”

“At first I was mad that you spent that much on him, but it might be what he needs. Maybe this will help him to deal with the anxiety. So thank you for thinking of our son.”

He kisses her on the nose and hugs her tight. “I’m just glad that I finally get to take care of you two. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

Then they both chuckle when they hear Jack holler, “Merry Christmas, Mommy and Daddy!”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all!!   
> How is everyone this late summer evening? Well here is the latest, sorry Jack isn’t in this chapter, but it is all Peeta and Katniss. And I’m here to remind you that I don’t own anything, but Jack. I don’t own Cold Mountain either. But it is part of the landscape that I love and that is home. Maybe one day I can hike it too.   
> I need to thank my usual’s… sohypothetically… you rock my dear. You do more than just tell me that my comma’s are in the wrong place. Thank you jojo for reading, and the hubs for not thinking that I’m crazy when I started talking about hiking Cold Mountain. Oh, and we fast forward a bit to April…

April

“Please tell me why we have to be up so early?” he asks as he is driving down the four lane.

“It’s only six o’clock in the morning,” she says with much amusement in her voice. “Besides, you are the baker. I remember you telling me one time that this was your normal time to wake up.”

With a groan he says, “I was much younger,” she starts laughing at him but he continues anyway, “and Mother made me.”

“You are only 26. I think you can handle getting up at six a.m. besides, wasn’t this your idea?” 

“No, this was your idea.”

“No, it’s yours,” she says. You wanted to watch that stupid movie--”

“Cold Mountain.”

“Yes, Cold Mountain. I mean he left the Confederate army, in the middle of the war, to go home. He was a deserter for heaven’s sake,” She huffs.

“But Ada was hungry…” he protests.

“Ada and Ruby were doing just fine! They learned to run the farm and even hunt. It was Inman who needed them more than they needed him.”

“And what is wrong with Inman needing Ada more than she needed him?”

“Nothing is wrong with that. I just think he should have finished what he started. He wanted to join the army, well he should have stayed—“

Squeezing her leg that is pressed up against his, he says teasingly, “But he loved her and just wanted to see her.”

She elbows him in the ribs, which he answers with a grunt, while she says, “Anyways, I still can’t believe that they filmed the movie in Romania instead of here. Romania of all places! As much as you like the movie, you need to see the real cold mountain. Besides, the best waterfall is up there. We aren’t even going all the way to the summit.”

“And how long are we hiking?” he asks.

“It’s what, three hours?” he looks at her with concern, when she continues, “its flat for the first hour and a half. And then it’s only a slight hill until we get to the waterfall. Trust me. You will love it. I’m surprised Jack didn’t come with us. He loves the waterfall up here. But I bet I know why he didn’t come.”

He loves the feel of her pressed up against him when they drive in his truck. With his arm snaking down her body to reach the gear stick like they are 19 again. “Why didn’t he?”

“It’s April. It’s too cold to go swimming. Last summer Gale, Madge and I brought the boys up here. So see, if they can hike it, then I know you can.”

“Ha ha, very funny. I make my living in an office. You are the one climbing mountains. Just in case I forget to tell you, I had fun today.”

She nudges his shoulder in response. Her thoughts drift over the past several months since Christmas. The sweet Valentine’s they had at the cabin surprising Peeta with decorations made by her and Jack. She still feels guilty. She figured that maybe if she surprised him, then he would forget all about proposing. And he must have, because he didn’t say anything about it that night. The tablet helps when Jack starts missing Peeta, and truth is, they themselves have used it several times after Bear has went to bed, she is glad that Peeta went overboard like he did. But Jack is still adjusting to Peeta being his Daddy, but they love each other so much already that she isn’t worried. “You know, I’m really proud of Jack. He’s not having as many meltdowns.”

“Didn’t Annie say something about that?”

He feels her nod from where her head rests against his shoulder. “She said that, the meltdowns were normal and once we further established a routine, everyone would be happier.”

“We are learning to become a family. It would be nice if my work was closer.” 

“I thought you were going to talk to Plutarch about that?”

“He will be in Charlotte next week. It’s better to do it in person.”

“Have you figured out what you are going to ask for yet?”

“I’m going to tell him what happened. He has kids, he actually understands about not getting to see them enough. His ex-wife left and moved the kids to New York. He only sees them one weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer. He hates it. I honestly don’t know what he will say. He’s let a couple of executives work from home. Sometimes it a good fit. We’ll just have to see what happens.” He motions to the road going to left. “Isn’t this where I turn?”

She looks around her. “Yes, this is East Fork. Now we only have about three miles left.” Her phone chimes and she reaches down to turn it off. “And now, we have no cell service. Good thing I have this. But only for emergencies.” She says as she pulls out another phone.

“You just said that there isn’t any more cell service. What is that one for?”

“This is my satellite phone that I use when I’m out hiking.” She goes ahead and turns it on. She knocks on her forehead, “knock on wood, I’ve never had to use it. I don’t want to   
start today.”

“I don’t want you to use it either. This is the parking lot, right?” He doesn’t see any other vehicles in the parking lot. “Are we the only ones here?”

“Yes. No one else is hiking yet. It’s early, and there is probably snow up here. We have to come now because my weekends are getting booked up with clients.” She grabs her backpack as she climbs out of the truck. By now, the sun is starting to rise over the mountains. She turns him around without a word so he can see it in all of its glory. 

They watch the sunlight creep into the valley, lighting their way to the top. He says without hesitation, “It looks so beautiful, I almost wish we could go all the way up.”

She pokes him in the side to break him out of the spell. “You are not ready for the top, Mellark. Let me whip you into shape and then this fall you might be ready.”

“Hey!” he says in protest. “I’m in shape. I do weight training—“

“You need more endurance training than weight training for climbing. It’s ok,” she says as she lowers the truck gate so she can get to their stuff. “I’ll whip you into shape.” She finishes checking their packs. Then she pulls out her quiver and sets it across her shoulders to where it rests on her hip. Next, she pulls her backpack onto her shoulders and then helps Peeta settle his. 

Peeta asks, “Are we going hunting, too?”

“Actually, it is turkey bow season right now. But we aren’t going hunting. Since there hasn’t been anyone else out here in a while, it’s for protection.”

He teases, “From what- the rabbits and the turkeys?”

“I’ve heard reports that the rangers have been seeing bears and red wolves. Usually they will leave you alone, but I like to have my bow just in case.” She pats herself down, and looks at his pack again. “Well, I think we are set. Are you ready?”

He takes a deep breath and says, “I’m following you, my dear.” 

They start walking through the empty camp and Katniss says, “This is creepy when no one else is here. This place is full in the summer time.”

He looks around at the different cabins and the meeting house on one side, and the little lake on the other side. “I tried to come to camp here one summer. I think I was ten? We always had to help in the bakery so we had to stay close to home. You know, we never had a real vacation as a family?”

“I think the last one we took was when Daddy was still alive. That last summer, we went to the beach. Daddy surf fished, Mama read a book, and Prim and I played and played.” 

He hears the melancholy in her voice, so he quickly grabs her hand and kisses her knuckles. When she gives him a small smile, he says, “Has Jack been to the beach yet?”

She shakes her head. “I’ve been wanting to take him, but it’s hard to take time off in the summer.”

“Let’s go. We’ll go to the Outer Banks, Myrtle, or Savannah.”

“When we get back, we’ll figure out a time. I think I have a weekend in June that is still free.” They approach the billboard that has the map and other information about the trail. 

Since the season hasn’t started yet, the map is the only thing on the board. The trail veers to the left, leading up a hill. She sees him looking at the path, and says, “Are you getting nervous on me? We can go back to the truck—“

“No. As long as I have you, I’ll be ok. Can you show me on the map where are we going?”

Katniss points to where the map says Deep Gap. “We are going here first. Then turning here, we are going to go another hour, then around here is where my surprise is.” 

“Well let’s go then. I guess we shouldn’t race to the top?”

“It’s not advised. Just pay attention to the trail and we will be fine.”

As soon as Peeta steps off of the pavement of the ranger information station, the worn trail beckons to him. He lets Katniss take the lead, following in her silent footsteps up the hill. The old laurels line the path where the early morning sunlight peppers through the leaves of the canopy above, showing them the way. The sanctuary of the forest surrounds them as it welcomes them into its depths. In quiet reverence, they climb the hill that leads to the top of the trail. 

The greens of the rhododendrons and the azaleas grace his winter-tired eyes. And now that spring is starting to creep across his mountains, he is eager to hunt out more green in the landscape. His sight hunts out the pines and the hemlocks. Moss decorates the rocks that line the creek that babbles beside them, as if it’s telling them its secrets while they   
walk. There is an old, decayed log, almost in the creek, long softened by rot. It is surrounded by stones, smoothed out by years of water running over them. 

He feels her eyes on him as he takes it all in. His artist eye wants to freeze this moment and sketch everything he can. But there is another part of him that wants to see where the trail goes. He does pull out his phone and begins to take pictures. It’s surreal that in this forest paradise, the foreign sound that they hear is the click of the phone. He feels heat flood his cheeks when he meets her eyes. He isn’t sure why he is embarrassed, but it seems to be a grave sin to impose on this sanctuary something as trivial as a cell phone to take pictures. 

“This is amazing,” he whispers.

She nods. “A lot of people don’t think this is the beautiful part. They hurry through and can’t wait to get to the top. For me, this reminds me of growing up. This is the part of the forest where Daddy taught me to hunt. This is where I will teach Jack all that I know. To me, this is my mountain.” They look around for another moment before she says, “Are you ready?”

With a silent nod, they continue up the hill. They hike in the same scenery for another hour, with some mountain views that peek through the trees that yet have their leaves. Soon they reach the bald, or the top of the ridge. Peeta can never remember the old legend they were taught in school about the Balds, but being on this one reminds him again of the reverence that Cold Mountain demands. 

They have reached the trail sign that says “Deep Gap” and then another sign pointing the way to Shining Rock. She turns to him with a big smile on her face pulls the bow from her shoulder, and reaches for her backpack. “I’m hungry. Let’s eat a snack and then we will go on.”

They settle on the ground and He reaches for his backpack. He digs around for one of trail bars he tucked away this morning, and they munch in quiet happiness. He looks at everything trying to take it all in. he adds a couple more pictures to his phone while she sits and watches the landscape. He breaks the silence when he asks, “How many times have you made this trip?”

“The first time was when Daddy brought me and Prim.” He grins at the thought of Prim hiking up the hill and she smiles in response. “Yes, Prim hiked up here. We went on to where I’m going to take you.” She stands up, dusts her bottom off and reaches out a hand to help him up. “Come on, Mellark. Daylight is a wastin’.”

He laughs, “It’s only nine o’clock in the morning! I haven’t been here before, but I can just about promise you, that it’s still there.”

“Oh, you never know. The bears might have dragged it off.” He laughs at her excitement as she pulls all of her stuff back on.

“Well then, let’s go.” 

He follows her along the ridge, following a path that only she knows. They are surrounded by a scattering of azalea and huckleberry bushes, and the long brown grass sways in the breeze that still whispers of winter. They cross the field of grass, this time making idle chit-chat until they reach the tree line. 

Two tall and stately pine trees guard the other side of the meadow like two Indian warriors of old. Before she leads the way to his surprise, she turns to him and whispers, “The first part is my favorite part. It was also Daddy’s. My Papa, his dad, used to bring him here. Daddy always swore that when they would camp they could see the Nunnehi running around. Which was important because they would rather stay in the meadow, than to come into the trees. But one time, when they were camping,” she looks towards the forest. “In there, there was an old man who came and asked to warm himself by their fire. Papa offered him some stew, but he said he couldn’t eat any, that if he did, his people wouldn’t let him come back. From what Daddy told me, he fell asleep by the fire with Papa and the old man talking. He kept on waking up through the night and they were still sitting there talking. Papa never told anyone what they talked about, but when Daddy needed to make a major decision, he would talk to Papa. I always wondered if that old man was really a Nunnehi. And what they talked about.”

“He never told anyone?” Peeta asks.

She shakes her head. “At Papa’s funeral, Daddy said that old man was there. When Daddy tried to go and talk to him, he couldn’t catch up with him. When he called out to him, the man turned and waved. Then, as he kept walking into the woods beside the church, Daddy could swear he saw Papa walking away with the old man. He saw the old man again when Nana died. This time Daddy waves at him but didn’t really follow him- he just wanted the man to walk into the woods. Papa was waiting for him, Nana appears and they all walked into the woods together.

Peeta isn’t surprised at the cold shiver that runs up his back at her words. He thinks she has the same feeling too by the expression on her face. He pulls her against him for a hug and says into her hair, “What are the Nunnehi again?”

“Mama always said that they are like angels, who try to help us. She is the one who told me about that. He didn’t think he should tell his eleven year old daughter about beings in the woods.” She steps back and looks up at him. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve been here lots of times, and have never seen anyone. Now the surprise I have for you is just over there.” 

He looks at his watch, “Its only noon. How much longer?”

“What is the hurry?

He grins at her while he says, “I’m starving to death woman, and if an old man might need to eat some lunch too, I want to have it ready for him.”

Her giggle echoes across the mountains which reminds them how alone they are. They look at each other for a moment, and then meet for a kiss. She looks into his eyes and gives him one of her small but easy smiles. She adjusts the straps and strings wrapped around her torso, grabs his hand, and passes through the two pines standing guard. 

The forest on this side of the meadow welcomes them. But with her story still ringing in her ears, he looks at the noonday shadows wondering if any of the Nunnehi are watching them. Without realizing what he is doing, he starts to walk on her heels. They are only a few feet into the woods, when she stops and turns to him. “Peeta, why are you walking so close? I’m not going to run off and leave you, I promise.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I guess the story about your papa freaked me out just a little bit,” he says, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. 

She rolls her eyes at him. “Come on Mellark. It’s only about 30 more minutes. The Nunnechi wouldn’t want you anyway. You’re too loud in the woods. You couldn’t sneak around anyone!”

They keep on walking through the forest. The path is narrow, and he can tell that it’s more drainage than an actual path. After about 20 minutes, he can hear a low roar in the background that is slowly getting louder. He has a good idea what is ahead, but it isn’t until they around the next bend that he is certain. 

The waterfall has to be at least one hundred feet tall- if not more in length. The first part of it allows the water to meander slowly over the large smooth rock at the top. About half-way down, the speed of the water picks up. The water falls in a rapid rush against the rocks, swirling along the bottom of the river. It settles into a pool so perfect and clear, that he can see the bottom. He looks in and sees the minnows, the trout, and the small mouth bass darting back and forth as if they were trying to wake up from the spell that winter cast over the land.

She comes up beside him, her hunter’s step not making a sound, and places her hand in his. He envelops her small hand and gives it a squeeze. They stand there for a minute; she is lost in memories of her father, and he is lost in the moment.

“Thank you,” he whispers. “This is—“

“Amazing?” she answers for him. She turns and points to a bank behind them. “If I could, I would love to have a house there. When Daddy would bring Prim and I up here, we would pretend that our castle was up there and the water fall was part of the moat. I don’t know if princesses would really swim in their moats, but we did.”

“You brought Jack up here?”

She nods. “We camped last summer. Gale, Madge and Daniel all came too. What we hiked wasn’t the hard part. That is further on up. It’s still another five miles to the very top.”

Peeta lets out a low whistle in awe. “I don’t think we can hike that today.”

She laughs, “I’ll get you ready for that. Maybe by September? Do you think I can whip you into shape by then?”

“As long as we can stop here and swim.” He wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her to his side. He kisses the top of her head, “Can we eat lunch? I’m hungry.”

Chuckling, she pushes away from him. “I thought you were about to say something romantic, and all you can do is think with your stomach!” 

She goes over to a fallen log, which is well worn by others who have sat there too, and opens her back pack. She goes to pull out a couple of the MREs that she has packed, when he interrupts her by opening his back pack. “I brought a surprise for us.” And brings out a blanket, which he spreads out so they can sit, a thermos full of her favorite lamb stew with wild rice, fresh rolls, goat cheese, and a couple of apples. 

Her mouth opens and closes a couple of times before she can find her words, “How did you do all of this? Where did you get all of the food?”

With a grin, he says, “Well the lamb stew that you so love is mother’s recipe. When I called them earlier this week to see how they are and mentioned that we are coming up here, she offered to make all of this for us. She is a totally different person when she is taking her medicine.”

She looks at him, and says, “I’m glad that things are better, but I don’t know if you are being serious or not. It sounds a lot like you are making a joke.”

His face loses its grin, and he solemnly says, “No. Actually I’m glad Mother is doing better. I’m not afraid to have Jack around her now.” He hands her a plate of food and they start to eat. 

When they are done, she gets everything together and puts back the thermoses into his back pack while he rinses the dishes off in the river. Once they are finished, he rejoins her on the blanket. Not that he is a good judge of the time when it come to the sun, but he guesses that it is almost two p.m. He reaches into a side pocket of his back pack, takes a deep breath to gather his courage, or perhaps it’s to calm his wildly beating heart in his chest, and pulls out a black box. He palms it in his hand, so she can’t see it immediately, and turns to her. 

She is staring out into the trees like she sees something moving in the forest. He tries to look too, to see if he can see what she is looking at. Not able to spy anything, he asks, “What are you looking for?”

“I’m not sure. I thought I saw something move over there.” She pulls her bow closer to her side.

He watches her for a moment to see if he should be worried. When it seems like she is relaxing, he decides to just ask her. He opens the box and shows it to her. Her eyes grow wide as he simply says, “Marry me?”

 

More Author’s notes…

 

Cold Mountain is a real place and not just a movie. It is located in Haywood county North Carolina. There is a waterfall on the mountain, but it’s not as big as the one I tried to describe. I kind of took inspiration from Bridal Veil Falls in the DuPont forest which is where they filmed part of the movie we all love, The Hunger Games at. It’s not the waterfall they are walking down, but it is close.

The hike to the summit at Cold Mountain can be anywhere from a ten mile round trip to a thirty mile trip. Depends on where you start. In this they start at Camp Daniel Boone which is a Boy Scout camp. Once again, I have not hiked it. I want to. 

The Cherokee legend is one that they tell. I remember growing up and hearing about them. The name Nunnehi literally means the people who live anywhere. It’s also been translated to mean the people who live forever, or even the immortals. They aren’t like ghost, or forest spirits, but a supernatural human being- same as fairies in European folklore. I might have taken a little liberty by saying that they are like angels, but I also read tales where they would come and talk, but not eat with the family they visited. And even the town that I’m from, it’s been told that *a group of Union soldiers approached Franklin with the intention of burning it to the ground. A group of scouts returned to their commanding officers and warned them not to attack the town because it was heavily guarded by soldiers on every corner. However, the town was defenseless, as every able-bodied person had already left to fight in the war. Unaware of this fact, the Union soldiers then changed their course toward Atlanta, Georgia, burning every town in their path. According to the Cherokee, it was the Nunnehi that had protected Franklin from the Union soldiers. *used from Wikipedia. 

But like I said, I have not hiked the mountain, but if you have, I would love to talk to you!!! Message me, I have some questions for you…


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you reader!! 
> 
> I just want to take a moment to thank the ones who have been commenting on every or almost every chapter. It makes me smile to see when you leave some love!! (And if you haven’t before, it’s ok to do that too. I love those too!) And as usual, I don’t own anything. 
> 
> Now for the usual stuff. Sohypothetically, dear I couldn’t do it without you. Well I could, but I would be missing commas and it would suck. It really would. And the hubs. We had many conservations about this chapter. His dad even weighed in on some things. Jojo for plotting this out with me. And there are more notes at the bottom. Well I hope you enjoy…

She is speechless. 

He is trying not to panic. 

He shouldn’t have asked her yet. But the mountain, the waterfall… it is all too perfect. 

Why isn’t she saying anything?

Then the words, “Why Peeta? Why are you asking me now? I just can’t, I can’t. I’m sorry.” come like water that has been held back by an old dam for far too long. Rushing, bending, destroying, breaking—

All he can do when he hears her words is turn and walk away. He doesn’t know where he is walking to. He just has to go somewhere where he can breathe, but the weight on his chest is making that impossible. When she gave him the ring back the first time, it was bad. He knows this time, it’s going to destroy him. How could he have been so stupid to think that she would even give him another chance? He wasn’t sure what hurt more: her just using him to for sex, or letting him come around to see Jack; and him in her bed was an added bonus. At the top of the waterfall, he realizes that the ring is still clutched in his hand. Even as he wants to throw it in, he decides to save it for Jack. Maybe he will have better luck with it one day. 

His heart clenches at the thought of his son. What about Jack? He supposes that he could come fetch him for weekends at the cabin. Everything was going so well. What in the hell happened? 

He should start back down the hill. They need to start heading back anyway. Shit, this ride home is going to suck. 

He can see to the bottom of the waterfall, where the blanket is still spread out and she is nowhere around it. She doesn’t care about him, but she did care enough about her damn bow to grab it when he left. What was she going to do, shoot him in the back? It would probably make all of this easier to deal with if she did that. 

He is still standing there looking out over the valley, when he hears the bushes move behind him. He wonders why she is being so loud, when a shiver of fear runs down his spine. He shakes his head and tells his self to stop being silly because of the story she told about the Nunnehi. So he turns around to greet her when he is met by a pair of tan, feline eyes. Its black nose twitches as it takes in his scent and he can see it flexing its claws out of his peripheral vision. 

He remembers hearing one time in some class that when you are out in the wilderness, and you come across wildlife who is bigger and meaner than you, there are certain rules that you obey. With a bear, you scream and make a lot of noise. You usually don’t have to worry about a buck, they are timid and will run from you. You also leave snakes alone. Especially the copper heads and rattle snakes. But in the forty-five seconds he stands there looking at this beautiful puma, cougar, mountain lion; no one ever told him what to do if he met one in the woods. 

He knows he probably shouldn’t run away which he is really close to doing. So, instead, he decides to be very still. Which results in the big cat being very still. He knows that the waterfall is somewhere behind him, and starts to take a step back, when he hears Katniss shout for him to be still. 

The cat looks at where Katniss stands on the riverbank, where the water is still calm before it starts to fall down the waterfall. With the puma’s attention elsewhere for the moment, Peeta goes to take another step away from it. The puma’s gaze swings back to him when he begins to trip. He stumbles, but quickly regains his footing and freezes. 

The puma continues to watch him with its steely gaze, just this time Peeta notices that its tail begins to jerk to an invisible beat. His mind is in a haze because he can only hear Katniss calling to him faintly. The cat hears her, and turns its head to find the voice when Peeta decides to make a break for it. He turns to run, not knowing where is he is going, just somewhere away. He jumps over the huge rock in the path, and just when he clears it, a shooting white-hot pain invades his brain. He hears the sickening crunch and feels his knee bend in a very unnatural position. Landing on his side, he is vaguely aware of what is going on around him. The blackness descends his head and he can’t fight it any longer—

Kpkpkppkpk

She still can’t believe that he chose such a perfect day to propose. That isn’t why she brought him up here. She just wanted him all to herself and knew that Jack wouldn’t come up here with them. He likes it alright, he just doesn’t like the hike. And there is a certain point at night where Jack wants his bed, even if Mommy is offering a sleeping bag under the stars. But she wanted some alone time with Peeta. 

She breathes deep, in an effort to calm down. She hates change. She really does. And she isn’t ready for what marrying Peeta Mellark would bring. She would probably have to shut down the shop and move to Charlotte. It is either that, or just keep on seeing him on the weekends. She doesn’t really like the options, but she doesn’t know what else to do. She keeps walking by the river, shaking her head at her internal monologue. 

She really fucked things up this time didn’t she? She can’t remember what exactly came out of her mouth, but she does remember something about how she couldn’t right now. She stops and knows that Peeta, deep down, heard everything she said wrong. Why else would he have walked away? She really is an idiot. Maybe truly brainless, as Jo would say. 

Oh no, what will Jack think! Surely Peeta won’t come home every weekend after this. Jack is going to be so mad at her. She continues walking away from the waterfall along the riverbank. Yes, she is going the same direction as Peeta, but as he walks up the hill, she walks through the trees to get ahead of him. She stops in her tracks and tries to swallow her fear. She isn’t any good at these kind of things. But she knows that she needs to go back and try to apologize to him. He doesn’t deserve someone like her and yet he keeps coming every weekend. She knows that if it wasn’t for Jack, he wouldn’t come at all. 

She starts to go back along the river bank, and is met by a horrible sight. Peeta is standing beside the waterfall, nose to nose with a mountain lion. She is successful in keeping her mouth shut and not screaming when she sees them. Instead she starts to wave her arms to get Peeta’s attention. Neither man nor beast will look at her. She then starts to gently call Peeta’s name, this time getting the mountain lion’s attention. She puffs out her chest, and tries to appear as big as possible as the cat stares at her. After a moment, the big cat dismisses her and looks back to Peeta. But not before Peeta stumbles and almost falls down the waterfall. Her breath catches in her throat, and she knows something needs to happen soon. 

The next time she calls for Peeta, the mountain lion looks at her longer this time, and Peeta decides to run. Katniss quickly notches an arrow and takes aim for the cat. This is when she sees him jumping over a boulder that interrupts the path, and she can hear the crunch of him tearing something when he goes down. She frantically shouts to get the mountain lion’s attention, even though she can’t take her eyes off of Peeta lying on the ground. The cat leaves its post, walks over to her and even comes close enough to smell her. After it gives a satisfied sniff, it turns and walks away. 

Peeta doesn’t move from where he landed on the ground. As soon as the cat is out of her sight, she rushes over to where he lies. She tries not to panic and instead lets her survival training take over. His leg bends at an unnatural angle; by the light sheen of sweat on his brow and his shallow breathing, she knows he is in a lot of pain. She takes out her pocket knife and cuts away the material at his knee so she can see if there is any bleeding. There are a couple of scratches, but what concerns her is the amount of swelling that has already started. She knows that she needs to get his leg in a splint and stabilized before she does anything else. 

She shoulders her bow and looks around. Their stuff is at the bottom of the waterfall and she needs her phone to try to call Gale. She tries to arrange Peeta so he can be a little more comfortable, and looks around again for the cat. Satisfied that it’s not coming back, she rushes carefully down the hill.

She gathers their packs, glad that he thought to bring a blanket, and makes her way back up the hill. When she gets to his side, she quickly covers him with the blanket and uses his pack as a pillow. Digging through hers, she locates her phone. Standing up and holding it up so she can see it turn on, she presses the on button. Nothing happens. She presses again. Nothing. Turning it over, she takes out the battery, blows on it, like that will really do anything, and puts the battery back in. she presses the button again. This time it comes to life, going to the call screen like it should. When she notices the battery indicator. Instead of being fully charged, it’s down to the last 5%. 

“Shit!” she says out loud. So loudly, it echoes back to her. She looks at her watch and it’s 3:00. Gale is getting off of work, so he should answer his phone. Dialing his number quickly, it rings 3 times, before he answers, “hello.”

She hears the chiming bells that tell her that the phone is about to turn its self-off, so all she has time to do it to give a hurried, “help!” Black, blank damn screen. She doesn’t even know if he heard her. Or if he even still had her satellite number in his phone in case she called. Why is the damn thing dead? She plugged it in— crap that was last week. Throwing it back into her bag, all she can do is hope that Gale heard her.

She goes back to Peeta’s side, and checks his vitals. She knows that she shouldn’t move him. But she doesn’t know if or when help is going to be there. She looks around the woods to see if she can figure out some kind of shelter for them when she remembers something her dad showed her once. She stands up quickly, and looks around to see if she can get her bearings. Yes, that way is the way she needs to go. She glances back down at where he is still passed out, and presses a kiss to his sweaty forehead. She digs in her pack for her flashlight, tucks the blanket tighter around him, and runs in between two more pine trees that stand guard over some place she needs to go. 

Once she passes the trees, she can see the small path to the cave. Her dad would let her and Prim play in it when he brought them up here. She is surprised that she can still stand up in it. Turning on her flashlight, she looks quickly around. It seems to be in good shape, and whoever spent the winter in here, is long gone. 

On the way back to Peeta she has an idea on how to get him back to the cave. He is starting to wake up when she gets back to him. He tries to get up, but she kneels beside him and gently tells him, “You can’t stand up. I think you have destroyed your knee. Just be still. I have an idea.”

Weakly, he grabs her arm before she can stand up and says, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for saying what I did. I don’t want to lose you—“

She gives him a quick peck to hush him. “We’ll talk about that in a little bit. I don’t like the look of those clouds.” He looks up to see what might be snow clouds gathering overhead. “We need to get to the cave.” She adjusts the blanket over his chest, and says, “You need to be still. I’m going to go cut down some trees.”

He gives her a questioning look and asks, “Trees? Why do you need trees?”

“I need to splint your leg. And then I need to get you to the cave.”

“But how? I can’t walk.”

She caresses his cheek and says, “I think I know what we’re going to do. Stay covered up, I’m just going over there,” she gestures over to where some small oaks are. She stands up and gets the hatchet from her pack.

“Where did you get the axe? What else do you have in that pack?”

“It’s just a little hatchet. I keep it on the side here. I also have a first aid kit, duct tape, a lantern, and some other stuff I always have when I go out into the woods. I’ll be right back.”

He watches her walk to the trees and start to chop them down. She chops three in total. Then she brings them over to him. She uses her hatchet to remove the little branches. 

She uncovers his leg, and then starts to chop one of the trees in half. He watches her in silence, unable to really think from the pain radiating through his body. When she is done, she sets two poles on either side of his leg. She looks around for a moment, and he can tell by the look on her face she is in deep thought. 

“How bad does it hurt?” she asks.

“It’s pretty bad. I can’t feel my leg, but then I can. I know that doesn’t make any sense—“

“No, it does actually. It might make what I’m about to do easier.”

“What are you going to do?”

She ignores his question and instead takes a hold of his calf. “Can you feel my hands?”

The endorphins are invading his brain by this point and they make it really hard for him to concentrate. It takes him a minute to answer her and when he finally does, she has a very worried look on her face. “No, I can’t feel your hands.”

She nods and retrieves the duct tape. She gets the end of it started, and lines up one of the poles on one side of his leg and then gets the other one. She tapes the end of the one on the outside of his leg, takes the tape across the top, and adds the other pole on the inside of his thigh. She estimates the length that she will need for underneath, adds a little for just in case, and tears off what she needs. Deciding that she only needs to move him a little, she goes ahead and fixes another piece of tape right above his knee. 

By this time, he is laying with his head back down on the pack and watches her, through half lidded eyes. “You are really good at this. Have you had to splint many bad knees before?”

She gently slides her hand underneath his knee and picks it up slowly. She quickly puts the first and second pieces of tape under his leg. She glances up at his face, and sees him grimace in pain. “I’ve only practiced before. And I’m not going to lie, I do wish Prim was here right now. She would know exactly what to do.”

He breathes deep and waits for the pain to go back to a manageable level. “I would rather have you here.”

She sets his leg back down, and gets the tape again. This time, she tapes under his knee and the top of his ankle. It’s easier this time to tape underneath of his lower leg. 

When she is finished, she asks, “That should feel snug, not too tight, and better. Does it?”

He nods. “I think so.”

Now she digs into her pack and brings out the first aid kit. Opening it, she pulls out some long rags. She has three of them, and rolls them up. She places one at his upper thighs, his knees and his calves. Before she does anything with those, she gets the other two poles. 

Placing them beside each other on the ground, with the ends on one side almost touching, she wraps the tape around one, and goes to the other pole, bringing it underneath the other. She repeats this 3 more times along the poles. She looks at what she has done, and hopes that it will be strong enough to get him to the cave. So she tapes the second and third pieces again for added support. 

She looks back at him where he still watches her. Gently she asks, “Do you think I can roll you now?”

He can’t help the worried look that passes his face. “I think the bad leg needs to be on the top.”

“That sounds good.” She carries the poles over to his left side. She arranges it all so she can roll him, put the rags under him to tether his legs to each other, and to put the make-shift stokes basket under him, so she can roll him onto it. She walks back around to his other side, and kneels down beside him. She looks into his cloudy, pain filled eyes, and presses a kiss to his cold, clammy lips. She blinks fast to fight the tears. “I need you to hold your arms like this.” And demonstrates by pulling her arms in an x on her chest.  
When he has done that, she places a hand on his shoulder and his hip. She rocks him back and forth to see how hard it’s going to be to turn him. “I’m going to pull you towards me. And then I’m going to put some stuff under you. It’s probably going to hurt, but I will try to hurry.”

He gives her a nod in understanding, as she pulls on him. Rolling him over to his side, she leans back over him, careful of his knee, and pushes the rags under his leg, and the basket she made. When she is finished with that, she gently places him back on the ground. She looks at his face, where he is sweating more than he was. She scoots in the dirt beside his legs and ties them together. Then she tugs on the basket until it is straight under him. She covers him back up with the blanket, puts her pack back on, shoulders her bow and quiver. 

It seems like she is forgetting something, so she grabs his pack. She puts it on her front… and then remembers, she better tie him to basket. Remembering the parachute cord she saw in his pack, she quickly digs it out. Not wanting to pick him up yet, she loops one end around one pole, and quickly criss- crosses the cord over him. 

By now, his eyes are closed, and she hopes that he isn’t in too much pain. She gathers his pack and slowly picks up the poles next to his head. He lets out a tender grunt, and she looks frantically behind her to see if he is ok. His eyes are still tightly closed and there is a grimace on his face. She tries to reassure him when she says, “we’ll be there in a minute. Just hang on, and then hopefully I won’t have to move you until they come to rescue us.”

“Is someone coming?” he asks through quivering lips.

She tries to sound positive when she says, “I got a hold of Gale before the phone died. He knows where we are. And so does Jack. He will bring help.” I hope she adds in her head. She listens for duct tape to make sure it doesn’t tear. Satisfied that it’s going to hold, she drags him to the cave.

She walks slowly, easing him over the roots and rocks in the way. It takes her several minutes to get to the cave. Once she gets there, she drags him to the back and gently lowers him to the floor. She takes off the packs, crouches next to his him, and starts to untie the cord. 

He doesn’t open his eyes the entire time she is dragging him, and now, that they have stopped, he is fighting the waves of pain and nausea that threaten to take him back under. He feels her breath on his cheek, and he slowly opens his eyes. He can see the worry and the tears in her silver eyes. He reaches up and wipes the one that got away from  
her. “Why are you crying?” he wonders out loud.

She swallows hard, and replies, “Because if I hadn’t have brought you up here, you wouldn’t be hurt. And I’ve hurt you.” More wayward tears escape her eyes.  
He wants to say something, to rage against her for what she said, but he can’t. He loves her too much to do that. So instead he pulls her close so her head rests on his chest, over his heart. His hand automatically goes to her braid, rubbing it in between his fingers. His leg hurts like nothing he has ever felt before, and her presence comforts him. 

“I need to see how much food we have and go get some firewood,” she says as she sits up. She digs in her pack, and pulls out the first aid kit. “You can still take ibuprofen, can’t you?”

He gives a short nod, and lets her put the 3 pills in his mouth. He accepts the drink of water she offers him from the water bottle. She touches his forehead with the back of her hand and comes away satisfied that he is staying cool. She pulls both packs over to her and starts to go through them. She piles the rest of the picnic, MRE’s, and the trail bars.  
Then she pulls out the light-weight wool blanket she keeps in her pack. Next is the first aid kit, and matches. 

She puts the 2 packs together, and tucks them under his head. The tight lines of his face are starting to ease, the medicine must be starting to work. She looks at her watch, and grimaces at the four o’clock that is glaring back at her. 

Peeta is still lying there with his eyes closed. She isn’t sure if he is asleep, so she smoothes his hair away from his forehead in a way that reminds her of Jack. It looks like it takes effort to open his eyes and to look at her. “I’m going to go find some wood to build a fire. You rest.” He answers with a smirk. “I know, it’s not like you can get up. I’ll be right back.” And she presses a kiss to his forehead.

She quickly gathers some old branches and several limbs that have fallen. In her effort to get Peeta to the cave, she hasn’t really paid attention to the sky. It’s not until she feels something wet and very cold on her nose, that she looks up. The flakes coming down are as big as grapes. She picks up the wood faster, and prays that it’s just going to be a dusting and a freeze. 

With her arms full of wood, she turns to go back, so she can gather another round. That is when she sees a flock of turkeys about two hundred feet from her. She eases the wood down to the ground, gets her bow, and notches an arrow. Taking aim, two fall, while the rest of the flock runs up the hill. 

After she picks up the birds, and gathers enough wood to last for a while, she goes back to check on Peeta. The outside temperature is dropping, but he still looks white and cold under the blankets. His breathing has deepened, so she hopes that the medicine is working. Not wanting to disturb him, she makes a fire just inside the mouth of the cave, so it can start to get warm. 

When the fire is going, she steps away to field dress the turkeys. She wasn’t going to shoot anything, but she couldn’t resist the opportunity to have more food, especially since she isn’t sure how long they are going to be up here. She fillets them, so they will be easier to cook. And then she takes the carcasses away from the cave. She also stops to chop a couple of thin braches off of a hickory tree. 

By this time, the sun is setting. Instead of seeing the colors that are normally there, it casts a gloomy mood over the mountain top. The shadows seem longer, and the forest noises, which usually comfort her, is making the hair on her arms stand up. She hurries back to Peeta.

This time when she enters the cave, he is awake and looking around. She goes quickly over to him, and touches his forehead again with the back of her hand to check his temperature. He feels a bit warmer. And she wants to make sure, so she presses her lips to his head. He does feel a bit warmer, she looks into his eyes, and thankfully they are still clear.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone check my temperature like that before,” he says.

She looks into his eyes, and tries not to give him a worried smile. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m ok, considering everything. My stomach feels funny. I’m nauseated and hungry at the same time.”

“That is how it feels to be pregnant. Do you want to try a roll?”

He gives a half-hearted chuckle. “I think so. Can I have something to drink?” 

She helps him to munch the little bit she offers him. After he is finished, she sharpens the hickory branches. She puts the turkey breasts on them and puts some more wood on the fire. Peeta watches her every movement. Before she puts them on the fire, he says, “I’ve got some salt in my pack. Do you want it?” and then tries to sit up so he can get his pack.  
She stops him, and fetches his pack for him. He digs in the side pocket for a small travel shaker, of salt and pepper. She returns it after she is done, and sets the turkey over the fire. She settles in beside him to wait for them to cook. 

The silence isn’t awkward, but she knows that she needs to say something. She is so lost in her thoughts, trying to figure out what to say, that when, he touches her hand, she jumps in surprise. He offers an apologetic smile, and says, “I didn’t mean to scare you. That turkey smells good.”

She looks at it on the fire and reaches over to turn it. “It will be finished in a minute. I wish I had some broth for you. That would help your nausea more than anything.”

“We still have the left over stew. Should we eat it tonight?” he asks.

After the turkey is done, they eat it with the rest of the lamb stew, leaving the rest for tomorrow. By now, it’s very late for two who have been up since five a.m., and since he has a full belly, Peeta can barely keep his eyes open. She starts to tuck him in, when his eyes pop open. He requests, “Do you think I could go to the bathroom somehow?”

She nods, and starts looking around the cave for something he could use. Their water bottles, definitely not. She doesn’t have anything in her pack… what to use… that is when her eyes land on the big thermos that the stew had been in. They had finished eating it, so he could use it. When she picks it up and offers it to him, he has a very puzzled look on his face. 

“No, silly. You can’t stand up. Use this, and I’ll go wash it out. I need to get something to cover the cave anyway. I can feel too much of the cold.” He gives her a worried look, and she answers him, “Don’t worry. I will take my bow. The river isn’t far. Now let’s help you.”

She unties the three rags from around his legs, and helps him to ease his pants off enough to be able to use the thermos. When he is done, she carefully puts the cap back on, and says, “Well, I guess we owe your parents a new thermos?”

With a tired grin he nods. She ties his legs back to one another, and he signs in relief. She tucks him back in, slides her boots back on, gathers up the thermos, her bow, and her hatchet. Then she quietly goes back outside. 

The snow is up to her ankles now, but it feels like the temperature is staying around thirty degrees. She washes out the thermos and her hands. She looks around and sees the little grove of pines. There are several of them about four to five feet. She guesses she will need about four to block the entrance. She makes short work of them, and quickly gets them in place.

Satisfied with her work, and happy that she has done her best, she takes her boots and jacket off. She tucks herself around Peeta, and quickly falls asleep. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

She finds the turkey carcasses. She doesn’t like the feathers, but the winter is long, and she is hungry and so are her cubs. She picks the birds up and makes her way back to her den. The smell of smoke makes her sneeze, and a fleeing instinct starts to kick in. she is side tracked by the other smell that invades her nose. She smells the turkey breasts the woman had cooked earlier. The cat pauses in front of the cave entrance. The instinct of fear of the fire and the hunger battle within her. That is when she hears the little meows of her four cubs calling for their milk that keep her moving forward in the night.

 

Author’s note…  
Don’t throw too many tomatoes. I hope you still love me. And I promise, all this is for Jack.  
The things that Katniss has in her pack, and that she uses throughout the day are items you are supposes to have when you go hiking. Here is a list  
Map, compass, GPS  
Duct tape  
Lantern, flashlight, and extra batteries  
Satellite phone. She has this because this is what she does for a living. Yes her battery should have been charged. I’m not saying if Jack was playing in Mommy’s pack. He knows better, but its Mommy’s work phone. He might have had it turned on, running down the battery.  
Lighter, matches, fire starter  
She has a pocket knife in her pocket and a multi-tool in her pack  
Iodine drops for water  
Whistle  
She also has a hatchet because she figured that since its still winter, she might need it to cut a tree that might have fallen in the path.  
Also a disclaimer… I’m not a hiker. The most hiking I have done was in the Darién jungle. But I grew up in these mountains, playing on her hills. Cold Mountain is a real place and not just a movie. And there isn’t a big waterfall up there like the one I described. I kind of borrowed the waterfall, Bridal Veil Falls, from DuPont forest, which is where they filmed the movie. And it will still snow up there in April, much to everyone’s dismay!  
And I need to thank the friends that I have who have been involved in these types of rescues. It’s a brother and sister, and between them, he is a paramedic, she is a nurse, both have been and are on the rescue squad, he is a fireman, and she was married to one. They were a valuable source of information, and didn’t think I was too crazy when I started asking, “What would happen if this happened?”  
There are 40 different names used in the America’s for cougars. The different names are catamounts, pumas, panthers, and el Leon. If you do meet one in the wild, maintain eye contact, stand tall. Do not run away!! Look bigger by standing tall and slowly wave your arms and speak firmly.  
The contraption that Katniss made to put Peeta on is a make shift stokes basket. Or a gurney. You can google it to get a better idea of what it is since I can’t post a picture. Then when she tethered his legs together, it was keep his wounded knee from moving too much, to cut down on nerve damage. (Could that be a hint? Hmmm….) it’s the same if you break a toe. Since they can’t put a cast on a toe, you can tape it to another toe to keep it still.  
And if you do go hiking, please take a first aid course. Hopefully you will never need it, but it’s better to not need it that need it and not have it.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. This was an easy chapter and a hard chapter to write. First, I need to thank sohypothecially for everything. This story is what it is because of her. Then there is my husband. He is so awesome. He will take the kids out, while I work on this. And my bestie Miss. she helped too. 
> 
> Now for my emergency medical friends who answered my questions and don’t think I’m crazy. Thank you!! Your input means so much. 
> 
> And then I need to thank you for reading, for commenting, maybe even recommending Jack to a friend? Thank you all so much. Oh and let me know what you think. Especially the last part…
> 
> And I don’t own anything.

He walks to his truck to head home after working his short shift when his phone rings. He looks at the number, and even though he doesn’t recognize it, he answers anyway. “Hello?”

“Help,” is what the voice says before his phone chimes that he dropped the call. He looks at the screen again, looking at the number, trying to place it. ‘Who was that? Maybe Madge will know the number?’ He thinks and gets in his truck to head home. 

Gale pulls up in his driveway and gets out of his truck. He can hear Jack and Daniel playing in the back yard even though the temperature is dropping and the grey clouds are getting thicker. His hand automatically goes to his hand gun to make sure the safety is on before he opens the door. He steps inside and shuts the door quietly so he can hurry up to the bedroom to change before the boys see him. The boys know that they can’t hug him when he gets off of work until he has changed and put his gun and stuff away, but it’s still hard for them to remember that they have to wait.

He is looking for clothes to put on, when Madge surprises him by kissing his shoulder. He turns and gives her a kiss. “How was work?” she asks.

“It was alright. Finnick was training five new rescue squad members by the river today. I stopped in to watch while I ate lunch.”

“He said that they needed some help. I’m glad someone volunteered.”

“I didn’t recognize any of them. They were all young guys.” Gale complains.

Madge laughs at him. “We aren’t that old. Why didn’t you know them?”

“Finnick said they had a bunch of eighteen year olds sign up over the summer. They can’t drive the trucks until they finish training, so he was going over some of the water rescue stuff.”

She ducks under his arm to steal a kiss before he puts his shirt on. Then she picks up his work clothes to empty his pockets before she puts them in the dirty clothes hamper. She plugs in his phone, and puts his wallet and change beside it on the dresser. He goes into the bathroom to wash up and she goes to check on the boys. 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

They are finishing up with supper, when the house phone rings. Gale answers it. “Hello?”

“What are you doing?” says Finnick. 

“Eating dinner. What are you doing?”

“Nothing. Can Annie and I swing by for a little while?”

He sees Madge nodding yes with a knowing smile on her face. Since Finnick and Annie don’t have any kids yet, they usually end up at their or Katniss’s house on the weekends. “Madge is nodding at me. Come on.”

“Thanks man. We’ll be there in a minute.”

It’s not even five minutes later when they come in the door. After they greet one another, Finnick and Gale end up in the living room with the race on, and Annie and Madge sit at the kitchen table talking, while Daniel and Jack run back and forth, playing.

When Madge realizes that it is almost eight o’clock, she calls to Gale, “Has Katniss called?”

Silence comes from the living room. Then he exclaims, “Oh, shit!”

Daniel comes running into the kitchen, and whispers to her, “Mama, Daddy said ‘shit’.”

“Daniel Colton Hawthorne! You may not say bad words! Gale stop cussing! Did you talk to Katniss or not? Is Jack spending the night?”

“Where is Mommy and Daddy?” Jack quietly asks beside her.

Madge quickly brings him in for a hug. “That is what we are going to try to figure out, Bear.”

Annie asks, “What time did they leave this morning?”

Madge answers, “I’m not sure. Jack spent the night last night so he wouldn’t have to get up so early. I figured they would have been back by now. I asked him why he didn’t want to go—“

“Because it’s too cold to go swimming,” he answers. “Did something happen to them?”

Gale interrupts when he comes back with his phone. He asks Madge, “Where is your phone?”

“It’s beside the sink. Why? What are you doing?” 

While everyone looks at him strangely, he turns on the phones and compares the number that called him to Katniss’s phone numbers that Madge has stored in her phone. He pales and swears softy, “Damn it, I should have known.”

That is when Daniel whispers to his mama again, “Daddy said, ‘Damn it’, Mama.”

“That’s better than Daddy saying shit. Gale what is wrong?”

“Something happened. I can’t believe I forgot about the call,” he murmurs.

Almost in unison the other adults in the house say, “What is wrong?”

“Katniss called me when I was leaving work. Just I didn’t know it was her. All she could do was say ‘help.’ And then then phone was dead.” As he is saying these words, he is calling the number back. It goes straight to her voice mail and she says, “This is Everdeen’s. I can’t come to the phone right now—“ he pushes the end button. He looks up at Finnick. “Who do you know in Haywood County?”

“I know several people on the rescue squad and fire department. Tell me what happened? Where are Katniss and Peeta?” 

“They are on top of Cold Mountain.”

 

Kpkpkpkpkp

After Gale calls 911, he calls his old friend Boggs, who was now the sheriff of Haywood County. Boggs was his advisor while Gale finished his criminal justice degree. After Gale explained to him who Katniss was and what they were doing on the mountain, Boggs said of course he could climb the mountain to go help locate them, unofficially of course. 

Finnick comes along too. He knows Seeder, the head of the rescue squad, from all of the different classes they had to take over the years. Finnick teaches the water rescue ones, and Seeder teaches the search ones. When the call came over the scanner that a couple is lost on top of the mountain from Panem; Seeder is the one who calls Finnick to see if he knows them, and if he is coming to help. 

Boggs called Seeder and the chief of the fire department. They discuss what Gale and Finnick told them and decide to wait until morning to go looking for Katniss and Peeta. The snow keeps falling, and even though there is just a dusting in their yards, they know on top of the mountain there are probably several inches by now. 

That Sunday morning, Gale and Finnick park beside Peeta’s truck in the parking lot. Finnick says to Gale, “Hopefully I’m wrong about this, but I have a bad feeling.”

Gale answers him with a nod, and says, “If It was anyone else but Katniss I would worry. She knows what she is doing. But there is a reason why she didn’t come down off of that   
mountain and we need to go help her.”

They get their gear bags out of the back and make their way towards the others. Several of the men and women call out greetings to Gale and Finnick by name, while others just give them a nod. They head straight to Boggs and Seeder who have their maps out, looking at the different trails.

Boggs looks at his watch and says to the crowd, “its five a.m. ladies and gentlemen. Most of you know one another, but let me introduce you to Gale Hawthorne and Finnick O’Dair. Gale is a member of Panem police department and Finnick is the assistant chief of Panem’s rescue squad. They are here today because it’s their friends on top of the mountain.” He looks to them, gives them a nod and, asks them, “Would either of you like to say anything?”

Gale steps forward and begins. “Their names are Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Katniss knows the mountain well. She backpacks and is trained in survival. She knows what she is doing. She called me yesterday afternoon around three and all she could say was ‘help’, before her phone turned off. Something happened for her not to come home. There is a five year old little boy at my house who is waiting for his parents to come and pick him up. He told me when he was going to sleep last night to go and get Mommy and Daddy. And that is what I’m here to do.”

Quietly the crews of men and women listen to Boggs tell them what is going to happen next. When everyone is assigned to their jobs, they silently make their way through the   
camp to the beginning of the trail. By this time, the sun is rising and shining its light over the same peeks and valleys that Katniss and Peeta saw the day before. 

 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

Katniss can’t sleep. She laid down with Peeta and did actually close her eyes. But as soon as she got to that place of almost-but- not- quite asleep, he started muttering in his sleep. She sits up quickly and feels how hot he is. She uncovers him and loosens his coat. When she is unzips it, he opens his eyes, which are full of fevered confusion by now, and watches her. She gets one of her extra socks out of her pack, pours water on it from one of the water bottles, and lays it on his forehead. His face relaxes at her touch and the coolness of the water on his face. 

He keeps his eyes closed for a moment before he opens them again. “I’m not doing so good am I?”

She rubs his chest in a comforting gesture. “You are going to be ok.”

“Do you think Gale is looking for us?”

“I think so. They know by now that something has happened since we didn’t come to get Jack.” She re-dampens the sock and this time puts it on the side of his face. “Are you thirsty?”

This time he gives her a nod and she puts the straw to his mouth so he can drink. “That is so good,” he sighs.

“How are you feeling?”

He tries to give her a smile, but instead it turns into a grimace. “I don’t feel good. I don’t really feel the pain from my knee anymore, but instead I hurt all over. And I’m so sleepy, but I can’t get comfortable,” he says as he closes his eyes. 

She rests her hand against his chest, and tries to think of ways to make him more comfortable. She unties the rags that are holding his legs together. He shifts his hips, and there is a moment of relief when he moves his good leg. She rolls up the blanket and puts it under his bad knee to elevate it. He gives a sigh and says, “That’s better.” Then he gives a wiggle, closes his eyes, and quickly goes to sleep. 

She is almost- jealous of how quickly he goes to sleep. She loosens her braid, and watches him. Glancing at her watch, she sees that it’s almost two a.m. She runs her fingers through her hair, gives her scalp a scratch, and lets her thoughts wander while she watches him sleep. 

She is surprised he didn’t say anything about her reaction to his proposal. What should she say if he doesn’t? In her heart, she really does want to marry him. Her heart has accepted him back into her life like he has always been there. But in her head, she is so scared. What if something stupid happens again? Jack would be hurt, and she would be destroyed. 

She notices that the fire is dying down. She puts some more wood on it and looks outside. The snow is still coming down, and if Peeta wasn’t injured, this would be so beautiful. Instead, she feels the worry for him surround her like a thick blanket; instead of being warm, it’s suffocating and it hurts. 

He starts to fidget in his sleep again. She feels the worry and the tiredness weigh her down, so she goes and lays down beside him. She lays her head on his chest and he tucks her into his side. She tells herself that she is just going to close her eyes for just a minute when she goes to sleep. 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

She wakes up with a start. Her heart is racing in her chest, and she is trying to catch her breath. She looks around the cave confused until she recalls where she is. The whimpering brings her back to where she is. Looking at him in a panic, her eyes seek out his face and his are still closed. She touches his face and he is burning up. Shaking him gently, he answers her with a moan. “Peeta, can you hear me?” When he doesn’t answer, this time she starts to rub his arm to see if he will respond. He slowly opens his eyes and he tries to focus on her. She picks up the water bottle and brings it close to his lips. “Here, drink something.”

He finds the straw she puts to his lips and drinks slowly. When he is done, he sighs, “That was so good.” He closes his eyes. “What time is it?” he asks.

Glancing at her watch, she answers, “It’s after four. I wonder if it’s still snowing.”

“It snowed?” he asks.

She stands up so she can see over the blind she had built. There are flakes still coming down. “And it still is.” She tries to keep her tone light when she says, “That’s ok. I know 

Gale and probably Finnick are making plans on how to help us.”

“That’s good. Can I have some more water?” 

She sits down beside him and brings the straw back to his mouth. When he is finished, she runs her fingers though his curls that are so much like Jack’s. Her sweet boy, she misses him so much right now. He leans into her touch, relaxing as she touches him. 

She is quiet watching him. “Talk to me some more. Tell me a story,” He begs.

“I don’t know any.”

“Just talk to me. I want to hear your voice.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

He thinks for a moment and decides not to bring up what happened, so instead he says, “Remember Jack’s birthday party?”

She answers him with a laugh, “How can I forget? He loved the Superman cake you made him. He loved his friends and family. I will not ever forget the look on his face when you came down the stairs dressed up as Superman! I didn’t even know you had gotten that costume.”

“What costume? I really am Superman. I have that on under my clothes all the time.” He jokes with her. 

With a grin on her face, she leans down to get a kiss. She feels how dry and hot his lips are, and offers him some more water. “Well your son is certain now that you are Superman.”

After he drinks, he gets a sad look on his face. “I’m no Superman now. Superman would have already rescued you.”

She presses another kiss to his lips. “I don’t want Superman. You are all that I need.”

She sees the hurt on his face when he processes her words. Instead of answering her, he closes his eyes against the feverish confusion and the heartbreak of the last twenty-four hours. She doesn’t say anything else when she readjusts the sock she’s been using to help cool his fever. He finally gives in to the call of restless sleep.

She watches him go to sleep, and decides to lay down with him and close her eyes for another minute. Soon she is asleep too. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

This time when she wakes up, it is because he is squeezing her shoulder and softly calling to her. She looks up at his face, and immediately notices his clear, fever-free eyes. 

Sitting up quickly, she touches his forehead. He is still hot, but not as hot as he was just a couple of hours ago. “How are you feeling?” she asks.

“Thirsty,” he replies. 

She quickly gets the water bottle. While he is drinking, she retrieves some more ibuprofen for him to take. He accepts it gratefully, takes it, lays his head back against his make-shift pillow, and gives her a little smile. She quickly returns it, and asks, “Are you feeling better?”

“I think so. I don’t feel so cold anymore.” Relief washes over her in a waves and she gives him an even bigger smile than before. “What time is it?” he asks.

Looking down at her watch, she says, “It’s almost six thirty. I know you are still tired. You can go back to sleep if you want to.”

He watches her for a minute more before he says, “I might. Have you slept any?”

“I dozed off after you went to sleep. Are you hungry?”

“I think so. I’m still nauseous.”

“There are a couple of rolls left. Do you want to try them?”

He gives her a nod and slowly wiggles a bit to try to get comfortable. She tears off bites of the roll and feeds it to him. He has only eaten a couple of bites before he says, “I can’t eat anymore.”

“Are you sure? You need to have something in your stomach.”

“I just can’t.”

“Do you need to go to the bathroom?”

He pauses for a moment, and shakes his head. “I don’t have to go at all. Shouldn’t I have to go?”

She tries to keep the worry from reaching her face when he asks that question. “It just means that you are probably a little dehydrated. And the fever doesn’t help either. Here drink some more. It will help you feel better, too.” she offers him some more water. 

He closes his eyes and she starts to wonder if he is going to go back to sleep, when his eyes open suddenly. He looks around the cave like he is in a nightmare, and she is instantly touching him, trying to comfort him. He finally looks at her and breathes a sigh of relief. “I thought you were gone. I could have sworn that the mountain lion came back.”

“No, I’m right here.” she runs her fingers through his curls and he leans into her touch, taking her comfort. “And I’m not going far. Did you have a dream?”

“I don’t think so. Everything is weird right now. I know you are real, but everything else is fuzzy, and it’s like it’s not even there.” 

She starts to worry again when he says that. Is she doing everything she can to help him? She thinks about all of the safety and first aid classes that she has taken over the years. 

After just a couple of minutes of this, she starts to get frustrated with herself because she is beyond tired and she can’t think of anything else she could do. “I wonder if it’s because of the fever. Hopefully someone is on the way—“she says trying to comfort the both of them.

Kpkpkpkpkp

The crew is silent as they make their way up the mountain side. They are so serious and intent on their purpose that only a few of them even notice the snow- covered beauty that surrounds them. When they arrive at the field where Katniss and Peeta had stopped for a snack the day before, they stop for a quick break, too. 

Gale stands there looking off into the woods, when Finnick approaches him and asks, “Which way did they go?”

He gives Finnick a glance and nods towards the woods, he says, “She didn’t exactly say where they were going once they got up here, but I’m guessing that she took him to the waterfall. Didn’t Jack say something about not coming because he couldn’t go swimming?”

Finnick agrees, “I think I heard him say that last night. Is that the only place to swim up here?”

“The waterfall is the only big pool of water. There are creeks and streams, and a small river that feeds the waterfall. That is it.”

By this time, Seeder has come up behind the gentlemen and interrupts, “Is that where we are going next?”

Gale says, “I think so. Finnick and I could go ahead and see if we see signs of them and then radio back? Do you want to do that?” 

Boggs joins them, listening in to the conservation. His eyes meets Seeder’s, and she gives him a nod saying that she agrees to let the men go ahead and scout out the area. Then   
Boggs says, “Go ahead. Let us know, if you see them.”

They quickly set off to the other part of the woods. By now, the sun has risen high in the sky and has melted much of the snow; it barely comes to the toes of their boots. It’s easy for Gale to find the trail, and he leads Finnick in between the two pine trees that are still standing guard over all who enter their part of the woods.

Once they pass through the pines, Finnick can see the path. “If you didn’t know this was here, you never would have seen it.”

“Big Jack would bring Katniss and Prim up here before he died. Katniss always said some of her happiest times were here.”

“I should bring Annie up here, when it gets warmer.” It’s then Finnick sees the footprints in the mud beside the path. The indention is almost the same size as his foot, and he remembers that Peeta’s foot is almost the same size as his. “Look Gale, is that Peeta’s footprint?”

“Oh, thank God.” He presses the button on his walkie-talkie calling Boggs. 

Finnick continues to look around and sees movement. He walks towards it to see what it is. Squinting his eyes to help him see through the sunlight filtering through the leaves, it looks like an old man standing up ahead. He keeps on walking towards the man, wanting to make sure that it’s not his shoe print he found. He continues for almost a hundred feet before Gale calls out to him. Not wanting to take his eyes off of the man, Finnick gestures for Gale to join him. 

When Gale steps up beside him, Finnick says, “Do you see that man?”

Gale looks through the branches and sees the old man. He is taken back in time to his own papaw and how his flannel shirt would feel against his little nose when he would give him a hug and how he would smell of snuff and sweat. This old man, is clean-shaven wearing a straw hat, a flannel shirt that looks so soft from much washing and overalls that are worn and have seen better days. Blinking fast thought unexpected tears, he takes a deep breath. “Hey there! Have you seen two hikers pass through here yesterday or today?”

The old man gives them a nod and gestures for them to follow him up the hill. He waits for them to join him and he leads the way. Gale radios back to Boggs that they are going on to the waterfall to look for more tracks, while Finnick asks the old man, “Do you live around here?”

The old man moves through the underbrush without making a sound. He looks at Finnick through wrinkled eyes that are full of wisdom and kindness. “You could say that.”

“We are from Panem,” Finnick volunteers. “We are looking for some friends of ours that came up here yesterday. They should have come home last night but never showed up.”

“Their boy is worried?” the man asks.

Surprise floods both of the men’s expressions. “How did you know that they have a son?”

The old man gives them a knowing smile, keeps on walking, and goes around the last turn. Finnick’s breath catches at the beauty of the waterfall ahead of him. He says, with an almost-whisper, “Yeah, I need to bring Annie up here. This is amazing!” Finnick looks at the top of the waterfall, when he sees the thin trail of smoke reaching up for the heavens. 

He grabs Gale’s arm and excitedly points. “Look there. I bet they are up there!”

“I think they are too.” Gale quickly looks around. “I wonder if there is a quicker way to get up there—“ 

When he is interrupted by the old man pointing to another part of the woods. “Come this way.” He leads them through the trees.

They walk for a couple of minutes before they see the pine trees lying on their sides with the smoke exiting through the small hole at the top. Before they have a chance to say anything, Katniss’s head appears.

She yells, “Oh thank God! Peeta they are here.” 

The men turn to thank the old man for helping them, but instead, are met by Seeder and Boggs. Gale and Finnick look around for them in confusion. Seeder asks, “What is wrong?”

“Where did he go?” Finnick asks.

“Who?”

“The old man. He was right here before you came up.”

Seeder looks at him with concern in her eyes. “There wasn’t anyone here, O’Dair.”

Katniss rushes out of the cave, runs straight to Gale, and is caught in a big hug. Next she goes straight to Finnick for a hug from him too. She doesn’t even spare a glance at the others gathering behind them before she drags everyone into the cave with her. 

There they find Peeta, lying next to the fire. Katniss gets down beside him. She kisses his forehead, and says, “Peeta, Honey, wake up. Gale and Finnick are here.”

His eyes slowly open and try to focus. He looks at his friends like they are illusion. “Are they real or not real?”

Gale can see the worry on his oldest friend’s face, when she answers, “They are real.”

Its then Peeta really sees them, and greets them with a pain filled smile. Seeder approaches him. “Mr. Mellark?”

“Call me Peeta.”

Seeder gives him a smile. “My name is Seeder, and I am the chief of the rescue squad of Haywood County. I am also a paramedic. Can you tell me what happened to you?” One of the other members of the search party sets her medical bag beside her. She digs through it, pulling out different instruments.

“I jumped over a rock and fell. When I landed, I screwed up my knee.”

Seeder looks to Katniss, “Has he been running a fever?” she asks while she pulls on her stethoscope, searches for a heartbeat, and checks his breathing. 

Katniss knows that she needs to tell Seeder as much as she can. “Yes, I have been giving him ibuprofen every couple of hours and he’s been drinking water. He says he is nauseous so he hasn’t been eating today. He did have a couple bites of bread.” 

Seeder continues her physical assessment while some of the others start to tear down the blind that helped to keep them warm last night. Seeder’s face is expressionless while she finishes. She looks at the leg that Katniss had put into a splint. She checks to make sure Peeta’s circulation is alright and decides to leave the splint. Then she gets out of the way, so they can secure him into a stokes basket. 

When they have Peeta secure, the men lift him and begin to walk slowly out of the woods. Katniss takes a minute to pack up their stuff, and to make sure the fire is out before she follows. Seeder stays behind with her, and says, “I know that you are worried, and I think his leg will be fine. I do think he is starting to come down with pneumonia. That is where the fever is coming from.”

“That is what I was wondering too. I’m just glad that everyone found us when they did.” 

Kpkpkpkp

The old man watches them leave his woods. When his old friends asked him to watch over their grand-daughter, he was more than happy to come to the mountain top. He is sad that her soul-mate had gotten hurt, but he knew that it had to happen this way so that the young one could have his family. He isn’t surprised when he feels a familiar head bump against his leg and pulls wanting her head scratched. He feels her warm fur under his always cold hand. He says to her, “Let’s go check on those kittens, Buttercup.” And they turn and disappear into the smoky mountain mist that surrounds them. 

Kpkpkpkp

They are all surprised at how quickly they make it down the mountain to the parking lot. They load Peeta quickly into the ambulance, and push for Katniss to join him. She turns to Gale and Finnick and starts to protest when Gale grabs her. “I’ll drive my truck and Finnick can drive Peeta’s. We will meet you there,” he says as he takes her bow, quiver and pack from her. “Go and be with him.” He encourages her as she climbs into the ambulance.

He slams the door, and she turns herself in the jump seat so she can buckle up. She glances at Peeta, where Seeder is there putting in an IV while another EMT checks his vitals again and puts an oxygen tube in his nose. He has his eyes closed and he looks almost asleep, but after watching him for the past 24 hours, she can see him tightening his jaw against the pain. By now they are pulling out of the parking lot. When Seeder has the IV in place, Katniss watches her hook up the fluids that he so desperately needs, and then push a syringe into the port. And like magic, she can see the difference on Peeta’s face as the medicine hits his system.

Katniss jumps in surprise when something wet lands on her hand. She looks around to see where it could have come from, when she realizes that she is the source. Quickly she wipes her eyes and looks up to where Seeder is watching her. “I think he’ll be alright. He is tougher than he looks.” 

Once the other EMT moves out of the way, Katniss slides into the seat he vacated. In the cave, Peeta looks like he usually does, like he wasn’t hurt at all. But here, in the ambulance, with the IV tube, and the oxygen tube, and everything around him, she wants to run back to the woods and hide-- Hide away until someone tells her that everything is ok again. She wants to grab Jack and wait for Peeta to come home on Friday evening, make love to him until the early morning hours. Then wake up to Jack bouncing on the bed begging for breakfast. 

But even as she wants to turn away, she also knows that she can’t leave him. They have to take care of each other. That is what they do.   
Her thoughts are interrupted when they pull into the parking lot of the hospital. Before she knows what is happening, the doors fling open and people are pulling on his stretcher. They push him into the hospital, and she follows blindly, since no one has told her that she can’t. Before she can follow him into the exam area, a receptionist grabs her with paperwork for his insurance. Instead of throwing the clipboard at the woman like she wants to, she fills out what she can since she doesn’t have his cards in front of her. She fills in the blanks, and turns her phone on. Then she texts Prim to let her know where they are. She also texts Madge to check on Jack, and then startles when Prim pops into the seat beside her. She tries to tell Prim what happened when the tears start. Prim simply opens her arms in welcome and patiently listens to her sobs as she tells her what happened. By now, Gale and Finnick arrive and quickly find seats beside her in the waiting room. 

“Where did they take him?” Prim asks.

“I don’t know. We got off the ambulance and they took him in there,” she points towards the swinging doors of the emergency room. “And gave me his paperwork to fill out.”

“Let me have it,” Prim quietly demands. She takes it over to the desk and talks to the ward clerk, before she comes back. “They just took him to x-ray, then I think the doctor will talk to us. The orthopedic surgeon on call is Dr. Bryant and he is on the way now. When he gets here, he will decide what he is going to do. Now tell me, what happened again?”

Katniss only half listens as Gale and Finnick fill Prim in. she thinks back over the last twenty-four hours. He proposed. A whimper escapes. Her tears start again. He is going to be alright. She just has to tell herself enough and surely she will believe it soon. Won’t she? 

Finnick comes to sit beside her and brings her close in a hug. The tears are still racing down her cheeks and she rests her head against his shoulder. “Did they check you out too?”

She raises up so she can wipe her eyes and look at him. “Let’s find out what they want to do to Peeta. Then they can take a look if they want.” 

A tall man with khakis and a plaid shirt walks into the waiting room. He looks at Prim like he should know her, then his gaze rests on Katniss. “Are you Katniss Everdeen?”  
“That’s me.”

He steps forward and shakes her hand as he introduces himself, “I’m Dr. Bryant, the orthopedic surgeon. Can you come with me? I have some questions for you, and Peeta is looking for you.”  
She stands quickly and her vision swims. Finnick catches her as she stumbles back. “Whoa, there! Are you ok?” 

She steadies herself and tries not to look as flustered as she feels. “Thanks, Finnick.” She looks to the doctor. “Can my sister come too?”

He takes in Prim’s purple scrubs that signifies that she is an attendee and says, “Sure, she can.” He leads the way into the exam area, to a closed off area, and gently pulls aside the curtain. 

There Peeta is, eyes closed, with a bare chest, his knee is out of the splint, is rests on a pillow. The IV is still in his arm and the tube is still there delivering oxygen to his nose. She inhales a shaky breath, and his eyes open meeting hers. Before she realizes what she is doing, her feet take her to him, his arms are open, and she is on his chest crying. He doesn’t say a word, in fact no one does, as they watch them. 

Soon though, Dr. Bryant interrupts them so he can discuss Peeta’s x-rays. Katniss doesn’t hear much, except for “surgery”, “bone damage”, and “concern for torn muscles, tendons and ligaments”. And before she knows it, the nurses are coming to fetch him for surgery.

Panic sets in, and all she can think about is how they are taking Peeta away from her and she can’t protect him anymore. Somewhere Prim is trying to comfort her but its Peeta’s voice that cuts through the panic and calms her down. 

He pulls her close, and looks into her eyes. “I love you. Dr. Bryant is a good doctor. He is going to put my knee back together so I can play ball with Jack this fall when he goes out for football.” There are tears in his own eyes when he looks in hers. 

She rests her forehead against his and breathes in his calming scent. She feels him down in her very bones soothing her sore heart. “I love you so very much. Please come back to me. Don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.” She chokes on her sob. 

Peeta pulls her close. He runs his hands over her braid and kisses the parts of her he can reach. “Baby, look at me,” he commands. “I’ll be back in a little bit. Why don’t you get cleaned up, and let them look at you. They will be done before we know it.” Then his lips are on hers, reminding her who she belongs to, shaking her to her very core. 

She feels them taking him away from her, grabs what she can of him and hangs on, the tears streaming down her face. “You can’t have him. You can’t take him from me,” Her voice starts as a whisper, but gets louder with each statement, “Don’t take him away from me! I have to protect him! Please, I need to go with him!”

Prim grabs her arms, the young woman surprising her with her strength, and tries to sooth her. “Katniss, we need to get you checked out now. Peeta would want you to be alright. Come on.”

Her little sister might be strong, but Katniss still pulls her to the doors that lead to the operating rooms. The doors swing shut with a shoosh-click locking them in place. Katniss presses her nose against the glass and watches Peeta roll down the hallway. Her fingers search for a non-existent door knob so she can follow too. When she can’t find one, she starts to beat on the glass as she sobs, “Don’t take him away from me! Peeta! I need you! Peeta come back to me—“

Prim finally leads her away from the doors, wiping her own tears out of her eyes and follows the nurse’s nod to the empty exam room. The emergency room doctor quickly follows, nervously watching Katniss in case he needs to give her something to help her calm down. 

Katniss sits there, clinging to Prim, trying to catch her breath. The doctor goes over to where Prim knows the syringes and medicines are kept. “Katniss, do you want a little something to help you to calm down? Maybe catch your breath?”

Katniss shakes her head against her sister. “No. I just want to get Peeta and go home to Jack. Will you go get him so I can? Please Prim. I need to see him,” she begs.

Prim’s eyes meet the doctor’s and she gives him a nod as he draws up the sedative. Katniss feels a little prick on her upper arm. She knows that it’s not enough to knock her completely out, but with the lack of sleep, and how tired she is, Katniss is soon asleep on the stretcher.


	18. Chapter 18

She waits for him to wake up. 

She watches his chest rise… and fall. Rise… and fall. 

Prim wasn’t going to tell her, it is Finnick who accidently tells her that his heart stopped. Twice. 

Rise… and fall. Rise… and fall.

He is so pale, like all of the blood has drained from his body. 

Rise… and fall. 

Prim comes to the room in ICU. She says something to her, but she is too busy watching his chest rise… and fall to focus on what it is. What she does know is what was supposed to have been a simple knee surgery turned into a fight to keep him here. She doesn’t know where he was going, but she is sad and mad that he even tried to go without her.

Rise… and fall. He’s still breathing, so she can too. 

Now if he would just wake up, then all would be alright. She just needs to see his sweet blue eyes again. She needs his arms around her, and his whisper in her ear telling her that he loves her and Jack so much. She wants to scream at him to wake up and he can tell her that he is going to be alright. 

She still can’t hear Prim talking to her, but she knows that she is still in the room with them. So she does the only thing she knows to do, she starts singing;

Are you, are you  
Coming to the tree  
Where they strung up a man they say murdered three.  
Strange things did happen here  
No stranger would it be  
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree. 

Are you, are you  
Coming to the tree  
Where the dead man called out for his love to flee.  
Strange things did happen here  
No stranger would it be  
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree. 

Are you, are you  
Coming to the tree  
Where I told you to run so we’d both be free.  
Strange things did happen here  
No stranger would it be  
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree. 

Are you, are you  
Coming to the tree  
Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.  
Strange things did happen here  
No stranger would it be  
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

While she sings, she stares at his chest. So, when his breathing speeds up, hers does too. Then his hand moves. She looks up to his face where his eyes are trying to open. She reaches and grabs his hand, and he gives her a squeeze. She chokes on a sob when he weakly pulls her close to him. 

They aren’t even aware of the other people who have entered the room. 

She kisses his face, his eyes, and his mouth. She nuzzles his neck and breathes a sigh of relief when she feels his pulse there beating stronger with each beat. 

She leans back and sees his sweet eyes looking at her. “Yes,” she tells him.

“Waa?” he tries to ask through parched lips. She quickly offers him a drink of water. “What are you saying?”

She kisses him gently. “Peeta Mellark, I would be honored to be your wife, if you will still have me?”

Understanding lights up his eyes, and the biggest grin she has ever seen is on his lips. “Yes I will still have you.” And he brings her in for a kiss. 

When Dr. McCoy clears her throat, they come apart slowly; Katniss, not wanting to let go, and Peeta trying to clear out the confusion left from the surgery. 

“I’m glad to see that you are awake, Mr. Mellark. I’m Dr. McCoy,” Dr. McCoy says.

“You can call me Peeta. This is my fiancée, Katniss Everdeen. What happened?” he asks, confused. Katniss tightens her grip on his hand. 

“Well from my understanding, you and Ms. Everdeen were hiking. Do you remember that Peeta?” she waits for him to give her a nod of understanding, then she continues, “Do you  
remember hurting your knee?”

“Yes. I remember the mountain lion, falling and Katniss taking care of me in the cave. After that it starts to get confusing.” He glances at Katniss when she brings up his knuckles for a kiss. 

Dr. McCoy says, “That is when you started running a fever. Kantiss gave you ibuprofen,” she replies, while looking at her notes, “And your fever broke towards morning. A little after that, you were rescued. Do you remember that?”

Peeta looks at Katniss dazed. “Maybe? I remember seeing Gale and Finnick. Then I wake up in here. What happened?”

“The ambulance brought you to us, and we did x-rays. You did some damage to the bones in your leg, but most of the damage was when you tore through your ligaments and tendons around your knee. I know that you are still feeling a lot of the effects from the surgery so I won’t go into a lot of details right now. The reason you are in ICU is because your heart stopped twice.” This time he squeezes Katniss’s hand tightly. 

“Am I ok?” he stutters out.

“We are going to keep you in ICU for a couple of days for observation and to run some tests. Dr. Bryant, your orthopedic surgeon, will be by when he does his rounds to talk to you. I am your cardiologist.”

“Wait,” Peeta says. “Do you remember a Graham Mellark from before Thanksgiving?”

By now, Dr. McCoy is approaching the bed and is pulling out her stethoscope. “That name sounds familiar. He might have been a patient in my practice. I don’t think I’ve seen him. Is he a relative?”

“He is my father. He had a heart attack in November.” 

Dr. McCoy listens to his heart, and then moves over to listen to his lungs. She pulls out her ophthalmoscope and looks into his eyes. “I’m concerned about your lungs. It sounds like you might be coming down with bronchitis.” She writes something down on her clipboard. “We don’t want that getting worse, so I’m going to change around some of your medications.” 

A man in a white coat enters the room and introduces himself, “Hello, Mr. Mellark, I’m Dr. Bryant. I’m your orthopedic surgeon.” 

“Call me Peeta, please. This is my fiancée, Katniss Everdeen.”

He gives a nod to Katniss, steps closer to Dr. McCoy and looks over her shoulder to read what she has been writing in Peeta’s chart. “You didn’t look at his knee did you?” Dr. Bryant asks. 

“No. I saw you in the hall and I figured you were coming this way. We need to change his antibiotics around. His lungs sound like they are filling up.”

While the doctors talk for a moment, Katniss kisses his knuckles again. He says with a sigh, “I really fucked up this time, did I?”

“Would you hush! You are going to be ok. These doctors are going to fix your knee right up—“

The doctors turn back. They go on to explain that Peeta will be moved from ICU tomorrow as long as his EKG remains normal. Then in six months, Dr. McCoy wants him back in her office for more tests just to make sure his heart is still ok. Dr. Bryant’s contribution is more complicated. He repeats what Dr. McCoy said earlier about torn ligaments, muscles and tendons. What he actually did during surgery was clean up the knee, and repair the torn stuff. The nurses will bring a machine to help his knee flex and to start healing. Since he is in ICU Peeta, can’t start physical therapy until he is in a regular room. 

When the doctors are finished, Peeta is tired. Katniss sees that he can barely keep his eyes open. She doesn’t say a word, but instead kisses his forehead, and then his eyes. He has a small smile on his lips, and she sees his face relax as he goes to sleep. 

She hears a small knock on his door, and is surprised when she sees Graham and Anna. She gets up to meet them so they can talk for a minute without waking up Peeta. Her heart warms when the Mellark’s embrace her in a hug. 

“How is he, dear?” Anna asks. 

He finally woke up. The doctors came by. They don’t know why his heart stopped—“

Graham interrupts, “His heart stopped?”

“While they were doing surgery. That is why he is in ICU. They are going to release him into a regular room tomorrow. And they are going to start physical therapy then too.”

“Where is Jack? Peeta said before that he was going to stay with Daniel?” Anna asks.

“He is still there. I haven’t been home. I don’t even know if Posy and Vick opened the shop for me.”

Anna looks worried as she brings Katniss in for another hug. “Is there somewhere you could lay down? If you want to go home and rest, I can stay.”

Katniss glances at Graham and he gives her a little nod. “She came today wanting to help out somehow. She can stay here, or we can run home and get Jack.”

“It doesn’t matter. Prim is going to bring me some clothes. You can sit with Peeta if you want. I wouldn’t mind a shower. I am going to wait and bring Jack when Peeta gets into a regular room. I don’t think they let kids in ICU anyway.”

Graham encourages her, “Go find that shower. We will be right here waiting for him to wake up.”

Katniss’s looks at Peeta again, where he is sleeping peacefully. “Ok. I’ll go find Prim. Call my cell phone if something happens.”

“We will. Now go.” Graham says. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

She did more than shower. She has to wait on Prim, so she ends up going to sleep in the student break room. They do have quite comfortable couches in there, after all. Prim finds her a couple of hours later with drool leaking down her cheek. “Katniss. Wake up.”

She sits up with a start. She focuses on Prim standing there and then she looks around, trying to get her bearings. “Oh crap, Peeta. I need to get to Peeta.”

“He’s ok. His parents are still sitting with him, and he is still asleep. Madge called. She said Jack is ok, but he is wanting to see you two, so she is going to bring him in the morning if they move Peeta to a regular room. We will know pretty early if they are going to. It will be good for Jack to come and see him.”

“That does sound good. Can I take a shower?”

Prim shows her the one for the residents, and soon she is on her way, feeling better than she has in days. 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

It is later that night when they decide to go ahead and move Peeta. His heart seems to have stabilized itself. They are still going to keep him for several more days to keep an eye on it and to start his physical therapy. 

Katniss has just finished helping Peeta get comfortable and is setting up his dinner tray when Plutarch Heavensbee walks in. “Hell, son. When Effie told me that you were lost in the woods, at first I didn’t believe her.” Plutarch glances at his knee, propped up on pillows and still wrapped from post-surgery. “How bad is it?”

Peeta has to think for a moment, so Katniss breaks in, “There is some tendon and muscle damage. They think he is going to heal, but he is going to have to go to therapy several times a week at first.”

Plutarch nods, “You must be Miss Everdeen?”

She reaches over to shake his hand. “Please, call me Katniss. They just moved him out of ICU.”

“They had him in ICU for a knee injury?”

“No, they had him in ICU because his heart stopped twice during the surgery.” And to everyone’s surprise, the tears start. “Sorry, it’s been an emotional couple of days.” Plutarch puts his hand on her shoulder, but it’s Peeta reaching out for her that makes her cry even harder. He pulls her in for an awkward hug, and doesn’t let go of her hand when she sits back down.

Peeta addresses Plutarch, “What are you doing here? Did you come all this way to visit me in the hospital?”

“Actually I was in town for a meeting at the Biltmore house. They are outsourcing their advertising department.”

“I had heard that. Did we get the bid?” Peeta asks eagerly. 

“They will let us know. I had to promise them you to even get them to talk to us. They were really impressed with some of the other campaigns you did last year. Have you talked to your doctor about your physical therapy yet?”

Katniss says, “I think she is coming in the morning.”

Plutarch makes a show of looking at his watch and giving a big sigh. “I’m not leaving until tomorrow, and then I’m going to the Charlotte office. Effie is in a tizzy without you there.  
I’ll come back tomorrow, and you can tell me what you want to do.”

“Do about what?” asks Peeta.

“Your job. From what I understand, it’s going to be a while before you are back on your feet.” He pulls out a business card and hands it to Katniss. “Call me if they are going to be later than eleven coming by.”

Peeta starts to protest, “You don’t have to do all that—“

“My boy, you are one of my greatest assets. I have too many big campaigns coming to not have you be at your best?” He gives Katniss’s shoulder a pat. “I’ll be by in the morning.”  
Peeta’s face showed how tired he is. “I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

Katniss waits until Plutarch leaves before she says, “That was nice. And weird. Is that normal for him to visit sick employees?”

Peeta gives a half-laugh. “This isn’t the flu. I think I’m not going to be able to go to work for a while. It’s a good thing I have that insurance that pays if you can’t work.”

“You mean the duck commercials?” She giggles. 

He is grinning by now. All she can think about is how good it is to see his eyes light up again, and not in feverish confusion. “Yes, the duck commercials. At least that way when you are nursing me back to health as I lay on your couch for months and months, it will be paid for.”

“You want me to be your nursemaid?” she teases him.

“Oh I think I want you for so much more than that. I want you to be my love, my sweetie, my honey, my kitten, my forever, shall I keep going?” he asks as he pulls her closer so he can kiss her.

She comes apart from him with a giggle. “What else am I to you?”

He brings his hand with the IV still in it up to her hair, and runs his fingers through it. “Everything. You are all I want. And all I will ever need.”

“Peeta,” she sighs. “You are the one that I want. You lead me to the place where I find peace. You are my strength that keeps me walking. You are my hope that has taught me to trust again. I am so sorry for walking away from you at the waterfall—“

“Shhh baby.” He pulls her close so he can kiss her again. “We made it. We are here, and we still have each other. Trust that.” He pulls her onto the bed beside him on his good side, and she tucks herself into him. 

She feels his love surround her, and begins to talk, “I think since Daddy died, I have been so afraid of being left alone.” She can feel him move like he is going to say something. “Let me finish while I can. You know I’m not good at saying this kind of stuff. When he died, part of me died too. I guess that happens when a parent dies and you are still a child. It wasn’t until I held Jack in my arms that I began to have hope again. He is my hope that things can be good again. And then you came back and understand that I didn’t want you to come back. I thought that Jack and I were doing very well for ourselves. I only let you come around for Jack. He deserves to know who you are. But seeing you with him and honoring him, caring for him, loving him; well that did something to me too. You reminded me what a father’s love is and that is what I needed to help finish healing from the grief. I know that if you can still have faith, hope and love after all this time, then I can too.” Her tears drop onto his hospital gown. 

His arms tighten around her. “Look at me.” She slowly looks at him. She feels like her heart is going to burst from the love that is on his face. “I am so sorry that I ever hurt you. All I have ever wanted was to protect you and to love you. I can’t promise that we won’t fight and have disagreements from time to time. But I can promise you, that as long as I am alive, I will love you, and cherish you. I will never betray you again. You are all that I want, all that I need, you are my everything.”

“I love you,” she whispers to him.

“I love you,” he whispers back. “I just want you and Jack. Nothing else matters. I want to wake up with you every morning, raise our son, maybe have some more? Live the lives before us, and go to sleep with you every night. And I’m going to ask again, so I can remember you saying yes. And I’m only asking because I want to belong to you. No one else. 

And I want you to belong to me.” She gives him a nod in understanding and a smile to go along with it. “Marry me?”

“Yes.” She kisses him. “Yes.” Kisses his nose this time. “Yes.” Kisses each one of his eyes and says, “a thousand times, yes. I will marry you.”

Kpkpkpkpkp

The nurses come in several times that night to check on him. Katniss stays because she doesn’t want to be away from him. Madge texts her around eight to say that Jack can’t wait anymore, and that he says he is going to start walking if she doesn’t take him to see Mommy and Daddy. So whether or not they are ready, Jack is on the way. 

Katniss tells her that she would meet her downstairs so she could walk up with them. But before Katniss and Peeta knows what is happening, Jack, with the Hawthorne’s behind him, comes into the room. Jack runs to his mother, almost weeping with the relief of finally getting to see her. His little eyes grow large when he sees his daddy lying there with the IV still in his hand and his leg is bandaged and propped up on a pillow, surrounded by ice packs. Katniss hears his breath catch, and gathers him into her arms. 

“Bear, Daddy is ok now.” He buries his face, but still peeks out at Peeta. “He hurt his knee. The doctor had to fix it for him.”

“Does it hurt, Daddy?”

“It did. But Mommy helped me a lot. And then when I got here, the doctors helped me.”

“Does that mean that when I hurt my knee I’ll have to come to the h’pital?”

“I hope not, Bear.” Katniss says. Daniel comes up beside Jack. “Can you walk, Jack’s Daddy?”

“I can’t yet. The muscles are hurt. They need to get better before I can walk again,” Peeta tells them.

“Jack’s Daddy,” Daniel begins in a little boy whisper, “Daddy likes to say ‘shit’ when he thinks I can’t hear him.” 

Madge interrupts him, trying not to laugh, but mad too, “Daniel Colton Hawthorne! You need to stop saying that word!”

Gale covers his laugh with a cough as Madge glares at him. “Son, you need to listen to Mama. Don’t let me hear you say that again. Do you understand me?” he asks as he gets down on Daniel’s level.

“Yes sir,” Daniel says. 

“I told you not to say that word,” Jack tells him. “I didn’t say it, Mommy.” 

“I hope not.”

Peeta says to Jack, “I know I look scary right now, but can I have a hug?”

He walks gently up to the bedside, taking in everything. Then he surprises Peeta when he climbs on to the bed and hugs him. The rest of them can barely hear Peeta when he tells his son how much he missed him. Jack answers him with a kiss on his cheek. 

The happy reunion is interrupted when the physical therapist knocks on the doorframe. 

Katniss pulls Jack into her lap as the therapist comes to Peeta’s bedside. “Are you Mr. Mellark?” she says in a friendly, but stern voice. 

“You can call me Peeta.”

“My name is Atala, and I will be overseeing your therapy.”

At her words, Madge gathers the kids and her husband and herds them out into the hallway so Katniss and Peeta can talk to her. Jack looks worried that he is leaving Mommy, so Madge says, “It’s ok, Bear. We are just going to give them a minute and then we will go back in.” 

About this time, Prim comes down the hallway. She is greeted by both boys running to her. She gives them both a hug and a kiss before she brings them back to Gale and Madge. “Who is in there?” she asks them.

“The therapist,” Gale answers. “When do you think they will let him out?”

“I don’t know. They might he can make it to the bathroom with crutches. And then he will have to come in several times a week. I just hope they won’t have to do surgery again.” 

The door opens and Atala comes out with Katniss following her. Katniss closes the door behind her and asks, “How long do you think he will have to do therapy?” 

“He seems to be in good shape. I don’t think it will be as long as I said. I usually say longer so when they finish early, they feel good about themselves. They will let me know when they are discharging him. Then we can figure out when he can come in for his therapy. I’ll be by later to help him to stand. I know he wants to visit first.”

“Thank you so much for your help.” Katniss says. 

They watch Atala walk down the hall and then the sisters turn to one another. “What did she say?” Prim asks.

“That they probably won’t keep him long. His knee is doing well. The damage wasn’t as bad as they thought. He is going to have to do rehab for several weeks. I just hope Posy don’t mind opening on those days.”

Madge breaks in, “I can work too.” She shares a look with Gale. “He said I could quit work with this one.”

The sisters look at Gale, then at Madge, then at Gale again. Katniss is still tired, so it’s Prim who first asks, “Are you?”

With the biggest grin Katniss has ever seen on her friend’s face, Gale says, “She is almost three months.”

The girls share a squeal, and then gather close for a hug. While some of the men in their lives look on with happiness, the little ones look on with confusion.

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

After the doctors come by on their rounds, Katniss says that she is going to take Jack home and if she doesn’t come back that night, she will be back in the morning. Peeta of course, tells her to just wait, sleep in her bed and come back in the morning after she checks on the shop, and stops at the bakery to bring him some home cooking. 

It’s dark when she finally makes it back to her house. It’s like a weight has rolled off of her shoulders. No sooner have they walked in then there is a knock at the door. Before she has a chance to tell him not to answer it, Jack is there swinging it open for Papa Graham and Nana Anna standing there with containers of food in their arms. 

Katniss goes to help them bring it all into the kitchen. They’ve brought so much that Katniss insists that they stay and eat with them. Graham even admits that Peeta called as soon as she left the hospital and asked his parents to bring the bakery leftovers. Katniss is able to answer all of their questions and concerns and is met with more offers of help with taking him to rehab and with her shop. 

After they go home, she quickly ushers Jack into his bath, and tucks him in. “Mommy will Daddy be ok?”

“Yes, Bear. It’s going to be a little bit, but he will be back to normal.”

“What is therapy?”

“When Daddy tripped, be tore up his muscles. Therapy is going to help him learn to use those muscles again.” She sees the worry on his face, the same worry from earlier. “Don’t  
worry. If you just fall off of your bike or something like that, you won’t have to have therapy. That isn’t for scrapes and bruises.”

“Ok, Mommy. I love you.” 

She kisses his forehead. “I love you too, Bear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know… Katniss isn’t the one pregnant. (Ducks tomatoes) I thought about it. I really did. But even in today’s age of strong women doing it themselves, I didn’t want it to seem like she finally agreed to marry him because a baby is coming. Besides, Daniel needs someone to tattle on besides his dad. 
> 
> Thank you always for reading. I can’t believe that I have one more chapter and an epilogue!! And there is one out-take already written, that I just couldn’t seem to fit in here anywhere, so it will be published along with this. And I have one more planned. 
> 
> But thank you, for the reviews!! It helps to know what you think. And I’m glad that you are enjoying. And I need to thank sohypothetically… without her, this would have been really bad. And I’m not kidding. Thank you dear!! And for the hubs, he doesn’t mind listening to me talk about the next chapter and figuring out what happens next. He is also very good about taking little people on Daddy date’s so mama can work. I haven’t figured out who enjoys it more, them or him!


	19. Jack's birth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this isn't a regular chapter. But it is one that I hope you will enjoy. This was intended to be a flashback when Peeta asks Katniss why and how Graham knows Jack. and I was going to post it when the entire story was finished, but there is this wonderful thing over on tumblr that is called Prompts in Panem and it features all kinds of Everlark stories that follow a weekly theme. I decided to submit this outtake for it. 
> 
> I am working very hard on the last chapter and the epilogue right now. I promise you! 
> 
> I need to thank sohypothetically. she is wonderful. she really is. she on vacation last week, and I asked for her just to read it to see if it was ok to post, and she went and beta-ed the entire thing. thank you dear. And thank you for those who have been reading every week. It means a lot. so enjoy!

Jack’s birth

She wakes up on January 9th to the coldest temperatures of winter so far. Katniss is, well uncomfortable is not a word to describe how she feels. She is tired, bloated, hungry, can’t breathe, and her feet are swollen. As much as she loves pushing on her stomach and feeling baby push back on her hand, she is ready to meet the #1 man in her life. She has been dreaming for months what he will look like, and what it will be like to be a mommy. The only down side is how much she misses Peeta. When she dreams of the baby, she also dreams about Peeta. In one dream he is there with her, taking care of the both of them and loving every minute of it. In other dreams he comes to her, mad-beyond-mad for never telling him about getting pregnant. He screams at her, calls her a mutt, and chokes her. she wakes up in a cold sweat, looking around to make sure she and Prim are ok before she can even try to go back to sleep. 

On this particular Tuesday morning she slowly gets up and walks over to the window. The clouds are gathering, and looks like it might snow later. She absent- mindedly scratches her swollen belly, and smiles when she feels the familiar pushing of her baby responding to her. Laughing as she pokes the spot where she felt the movement, she says, “Good morning baby. What ever shall we do today?”

Before she gets dressed, she waddles goes downstairs to find something to eat. At first, she wonders where Prim is, then she remembers that she has class this morning. She checks out the refrigerator, and sees how empty it is. “Well, I guess it’s a trip to the grocery store, then.” She grabs an apple off of the counter, and goes back upstairs to take a shower. 

While she is drying off, her whole tummy tightens painfully. She takes in several deep breaths. She has been having Braxton- hicks for weeks now, and they have been getting stronger and stronger. This was the first one that actually took her breath away. 

She sits down on the edge of the bed to catch her breath, she decides to text Prim just in case something happens while she was out. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

Katniss has to use the steering wheel of her Jeep to help wiggle into her seat. When she is comfortable, she starts the suv and pulls out of the driveway. She is surprised when her stomach tightens up again. This time, she glances at the clock to see how long the contraction lasts. It lasts for almost a minute. She decides to go ahead and run to the grocery. This is her first baby after all, labor could last for days. And she refuses to be hungry while it was happening. 

She pulls up in the parking lot. She glances at the clock as her stomach tightens up again. This one, like the others, has more pressure than the last, and they are starting to hurt. She breathes through it. When it is over, she isn’t surprised when she times it as lasting two minutes. She wonders if going into the grocery is the smartest thing to do. But, she tells herself, she may as well go in a grab a snack. Once she is at the hospital, they won’t feed her until baby is here. 

She grabs a buggy to have something to hang on to more than anything, and walks over to the produce. She heads first to the apples to replace Prim’s that she ate this morning. She isn’t really paying attention to who is around her, and is trying not to worry about the contractions, when she runs into another buggy. She looks up, getting ready to say something, to meet the same Carolina blue eyes that have been haunting her dreams every night. 

There stands Graham Mellark himself. She takes a shaky breath and says, “I’m so sorry for running into you like that. I’m kind of in a hurry—“

“No, problem at all Katniss. No problem at all.” He looks at her tightening belly and looks like he wants to ask her something other than, “Are you ok? You look, well honestly worried about something.”

That is when her body decides to betray her and to her horror, she feels warm water running down her legs. She looks down, and so does Mr. Mellark. “Oh wow,” he says. “Do you need some help, my dear? Are you here with someone? Can I take you to the hospital?”

She rubs her forehead, and chokes back a laugh. “Yes, I suppose I do. I guess I don’t need groceries anymore today. My bag is in my Jeep, can you drive me in that?”

“Yes dear, let’s let someone know about this on the floor and we will be on the way…”

She bites back a moan and grabs her belly as another contraction hits. She breathlessly says, “We might need to hurry, someone is ready to come out and see what he is missing. I need to call Prim.”

When Mr. Mellark swoops her up into his arms to carry her to her Jeep, she knows that everything is going to be ok. 

kpkpkpkpkpkp

She stands in the hallway to breathe through the contraction, before she starts to walk again. “That was a big one. How long did that one last?”

“You are right at four minutes now. Let’s get you back to your room because they are getting longer, and see if the nurse will check you.”

“Ok, Mama.” While they walk, they go past the maternity waiting room. Glancing through the window 

She sees the familiar blonde hair of guardian angel today. “Mama, is Mr. Mellark still here? I thought he went home.”

“He wants to make sure you are ok. He’s been waiting for over an hour.”

“Help me over there please. I want to see him.” 

“You need to get to your room…” Lily protests.

“Mama it’s ok. Just help me, please.” So they make their way over. “Mr. Mellark, what are you still doing here? “ 

He jumps up and walks over to them and gives them the standard Mellark smile. “I want to see this little one, if it’s ok with you. I love babies, and can’t resist them.”

A groan escapes her as another contraction takes over. She says through gritted teeth, “If we don’t move soon, you’ll get to meet him sooner rather than later if we don’t move to my room.” 

Lily grabs one arm, and tells Graham, “Get her other arm and help me. The way it sounds, this baby is crowning.”

kpkpkpkpkp

He stands in the hallway outside of Katniss’s room, and thinks back to when Anna was having the boys. She kept on screaming and complaining the entire time she was pushing all of them. But not Katniss. He can hear Lily calming tell her to breathe, and Prim gently encouraging her through the contraction. He supposes he should wonder about the father of this baby. But he knows in his heart who it belongs to. He still doesn’t understand what happened. One day they were in and out of the bakery, making wedding plans. Anna was even coming to terms that Peeta is going to marry Katniss. And then, before he knew what had happened, Peeta was crying on his shoulder. From what he can understand, Peeta drank too much one night at the bar beside the college. The next thing Peeta knows, he wakes up in another girl’s bed. Katniss wouldn’t even talk to him afterwards, and Graham doesn’t blame her. He doubts if he would have talked to Peeta after that too. 

After that, Peeta decides to apply for the internship with the advertising firm in Atlanta. Much to everyone’s surprise, he gets the job. The night before he leaves, Peeta pulls him aside and asks if he could somehow keep an eye on Katniss. He instantly agrees. 

Breaking into his thoughts, he hears the first cry of Katniss and Peeta’s baby. Tears spring to his eyes, as he can feel his heart expanding even more. He hears the doctor’s and Lily’s reassuring tones and knows that everything is ok. 

The door opens and Lily peeks around the doorway. With a quiet excitement, she says, “Graham, you are still here. Katniss is asking for you. Come on in.” 

There are moments in his life he knows he will never forget. Breaking up with Lily is one of them. Deciding on a whim to marry Anna. Seeing his own boys for the first time. Seeing Bram’s own son being born just a couple of months ago. And now seeing this little angel, who has the same eyes as the rest of his boys, including wisps of blonde hair that dry quickly in the heat of the delivery room. He knows this is Peeta’s child. “Is it a boy, Katniss?”

Looking up, and giving the brand new, oh dear lord I’m so tired, mama smile, she says “Come and see. This is my son, Jackson Everdeen.”

He looks at the women in the room, gathering around the new soul in the world, and his heart breaks for Peeta. His heart hurts for Katniss and for her new son who might not ever know his father. He can only pray that somehow they all find their happy ever after. 

kpkpkpkpkp

It is a couple of days after that, Katniss and Jackson Peeta Everdeen is given the all-clear to go home. Katniss figures that if Jack can’t have his daddy’s last name, he can have his first name. It is a good first week for Jack. They have the normal hurdles to jump over, getting the latch just right, Katniss panicking when he didn’t have the yellow, breast fed baby poo for several hours. That is a panic call to Lily, who tell her to drink more water, relax and feed Jack. After that, Jack shows his mommy that he can fill his diaper like a big boy. 

Then at two weeks, Jack settles into simple routine. His favorite thing is Mommy and Mommy’s milk. He falls asleep at her breast, and stays asleep, for the most part, when she lays him down. It’s then Katniss plays catch up with her business. She can’t give tours or hikes right now, but she can finish her wish list for inventory for the store front she is going to open in the spring. It is now the end of January, the hikes can start in March, and the tourists will come in April… the doorbell interrupts her thoughts. She walks to the door, when she looks up and sees Graham Mellark standing there with a huge teddy bear. 

“Hello, Katniss. Can I come in for a minute?”

Speechless, all Katniss can do is nod and step aside for Graham to come in. she shuts the door behind him, and hurries to the couch. She clears off the blankets and the burp cloths that she has been folding while picking out inventory on her laptop. “Go ahead and sit down. Please.”

Before he joins her on the couch, Graham stops first at the bassinet that holds a sleeping Jack. He meets her eyes, and he gently asks, “I know he’s asleep, but can I hold him? I just can’t resist.”

Katniss nods as she walks over to them. She can’t tell the Mellark men no… isn’t that what got her here? She gently picks Jack up. “Go ahead and sit down. I’ll hand him to you” she says to Graham. When he is seated and Jack is settled in his Papa’s arms, Katniss sits beside him. Her eyes never leave Jack, except to look at the huge bear that is sitting in the floor beside them. “Mr. Mellark, you didn’t have to bring anything. If anything, I need to be giving you something for helping us a couple of weeks ago. I don’t think I would have made it in time without you. So, thank you again.”

Smiling a papa’s smile at the boy, he glances up at her. “I’m glad that it was me who was there for you. I do have a double motive for coming today. I wanted to check on Jackson here, but I needed to ask you something.”

Feeling her stomach drop, and fighting the panic she takes a deep breath. “How can I help you, Mr. Mellark?”

“Well for one, please call me Graham. “

She gives him one of her scowls, “Well, I know you didn’t come here today to bring us a bear and to tell me to call you Graham. “

He laughs softly, so he won’t wake the baby. “No dear, you’re right. I didn’t. I do have a question.” He looks into Katniss’s eyes. “Are you going to tell Peeta that this is his baby?”

Glaring at him, feeling the anger come over her, she says, “What do you mean Peeta’s baby? Jack is my baby. I tried to tell Peeta. He never called me back. He even changed his number. He hasn’t been here. Jack is my son. I tried, he doesn’t want us anymore--” The tears run down her face. Damn hormones. She has been a leaky faucet since she had Jack. Missing Peeta one minute, and then being so mad she could shoot something or someone with her bow if they were here and she had it. She is mad. Mad, mad, mad…

Graham shifts Jack to one arm and gathers Katniss to him with his other. He says, “I’ll let you in on a secret. I still haven’t figured out why he left town so fast. All I know, is he announced that he is going to go for the internship with that firm in Atlanta, after the both of you broke up and after the interview, they immediately told him that he had it. So Anna has him packed and on the road by the end of the week. He didn’t say a lot to me. But I do know that if he had known, he would have been here. I can promise you that. Can we call him? Can we tell him?”

“Oh dear God, no. please, Graham you have to promise me that you will not tell Peeta about Jack. I know it’s hard for you to understand right now. But I have my reasons, so please don’t tell him.” 

Giving a big sigh, he says, “You have to promise me that you will try to tell him. I won’t say anything until you are ready.” He looks down at Jack, who gives a little yawn, and looks up at his papa. He can see how much he looks like all of the Mellark’s. “Can I see him? Is there anything you need? Just let me know if you need anything, Katniss. Promise me that you will. I won’t tell Anna, or Peeta or anyone.”

Katniss takes a deep breath, her eyes never leave Jack’s face, and nods. “I will. Thank you for not saying anything. I just… I just can’t right now. But yes, we can figure something out so you can see Jack.”

And so after that, Graham comes by the house every week. Then when Jack gets to walking and playing, they meet him at the park. In fact it is the one across the street from the bakery. When Katniss starts to look for a place for her store, it is Graham who helps her to find the perfect spot. He even offers to help pay some of the opening costs, but Katniss turns him down. Instead, since his old friend Mr. Cartwright owns the old house she wants, he talks his friend into giving her a deal and even offering to sell her old house. And then, before she goes to meet the bank, to see if she is approved for the loan, Graham once again uses his influence with the bank president who loves his cinnamon rolls. Just as proud as her own father would have been, he is very proud of the work she is doing. Graham is still surprised that he can keep all of this from Anna. That woman loves to gossip. But the people in the town know too, that there is a reason why he is helping her. They, along with Graham wonder how much longer it will be before Peeta came home.


	20. chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here it is. Chapter 19. Technically, this is the last chapter. The next one will be the epilogue. I am still amazed that I did this. And you, my sweet reader, are taking time out of your day to read it. Thank you. I can’t say it enough. I really can’t. 
> 
> As always, my other thanks go to sohypothetically. She does so much. And special thanks to Madison and Maria. You rock!!! Your encouragement means so much!! And for my husband who takes the kids on daddy dates so I can plan.   
> Enjoy!!! And let me know what you think!!

After Katniss tucks Jack into bed, she jumps in the shower, braids her hair and falls into bed. She is asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow. 

Sometime during the night, she feels the bed dip. Opening one eye, she isn’t surprised to see Jack climbing into the bed with her. He snuggles into her side, and she pulls him close and goes back to sleep.

She is standing in her living room, and hears Jack start to cry. “Jack, what’s wrong?” She continues to hear him cry, so she starts to look for him. “Jack? Where are you?” She starts up the stairs to where she can hear his cries coming from her room. She walks in but doesn’t see him anywhere. So she calls again, “Jack!”   
With a sob, he cries out, “Daddy!!”

That is when she opens her eyes. It is just a dream, she thinks when her son interrupts her thoughts again with a sob. “Daddy! Don’t leave me!” she reaches for him. She sits up and pulls him into her arms holding him like he was so little again “It’s ok. I’ve got you now,” she whispers to him. 

He finally opens his eyes, and sees that it’s his Mommy who has him. With a cry he throws his arms around her neck. “I had a dream that Daddy left me. He went one day to work and never came back. Did he really leave me, Mommy?”

“Oh, Jack! I’m sorry that it seemed like we left you when went hiking. I meant for us to come back that afternoon. Daddy got hurt and couldn’t walk back so we had to wait for Uncle Gale and Finnick to come and get us.”

“Is Daddy still at the hospital?”

“Yes, Bear. They are waiting for Daddy to start using crutches and then he can come home.” In a silly whisper, she says, “They have to make sure Daddy can go potty like a big-boy.”

Lucky for her, it has the desired results with Jack breaking out in to a giggle. “You need to tell me what you and Daniel have been doing the past couple of days,” she says. Jack goes on to tell Mommy about them driving Auntie Madge crazy, and they both go to sleep to the sound of his voice. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

She is getting Jack ready to head back to the hospital when Peeta calls. Since Peeta is in a private room, she is going to take Jack with her since he had the bad dream last night and she thinks they just need to be together today. Besides Prim gets off at lunch today, so if it seems to be too much, Jack can come home with her. 

“Hey you,” she answers her cell phone. 

“Hey,” he says back. “I miss you.”

She giggles, I was just there.”

“I miss you when you aren’t here to lay on top of me.” She can hear the smirk in his voice.

“I don’t lay on top of you.” 

“Yes, you do and I love it. When are you coming to the hospital?”

“Posy is opening—“

He interrupts, “You need to give her a raise.”

“I already have. But she is opening and I have already talked to her, and everything is fine. Jack and I will be leaving here soon.”

“Is Bear coming too?”

“Yes.” She steps into the pantry so Jack won’t hear. “He had a nightmare last night. We haven’t talked about it yet.”

“Is he ok?” he asks worriedly.

“He is ready to come see you. I think he is worried about you.” She doesn’t want to tell him, but she knows that she needs to. “He called out for you a couple of times. That is why 

I’m going to bring him today.”

He is quiet for a moment. When he starts to talk again, she can hear the emotion in his voice. “I think that will be good for everyone. I need to be with my family today.”

She answers him softly, “I think we need to be with you, too.”

“I adore you,” he says.

“And I love you. Do I still need to run by the bakery?”

“Yes, if you don’t mind. I’ll call Dad and get him to get something ready for you. When are you leaving?”

“I don’t know? Twenty minutes?”

“That will be enough time. I love you.”

“I love you,” she echoes back.

Kpkpkpkp

When Katniss and Jack finally get to the hospital, it’s almost eleven o’clock. With the bag she ends up packing for Peeta, she includes some of his personal things and his pillow.   
She also has the bag of food from the bakery, and Jack’s bag of busy things in case he gets bored; she thinks it looks like they are moving in. They make their way up to Peeta’s room with only several curious looks. Jack, of course, is oblivious and is only focused on getting to his daddy.

She knocks on his closed door before she eases it open and isn’t surprised to see that Plutarch and Atala are in a heated debate while Peeta sits there in a wheel chair with his leg, in the knee brace, straight out in front of him. He hears the door open, and when he sees that it’s them, his smile welcomes them to come in. The other two adults in the room don’t hear them come in. 

“I’m telling you, his recovery isn’t going to be as quick as you think it’s going to be,” Atala says.

“He has the best insurance money can buy—“

“Mr. Heavensbee. I told you already, it’s not about money. It’s about Mr. Mellark’s knee. I can’t say anything else right now—“ and that is when they notice Katniss and Jack standing in the doorway, listening.

Atala gives her a nod and Plutarch says, “Ah, Miss Everdeen.” He turns to look at Peeta. “Is that your son?”

“Yes, this is Jack.” And then he meets Jack’s eyes. After Peeta gives Jack a grin, Jack makes his way to Peeta. Jack makes his way slowly over to Peeta until he is standing in front of him. Without a word, Peeta opens his arms to him. Jack falls into his embrace and Peeta pulls him onto his lap. 

Jack looks solemnly at the cast surrounding his father’s leg and snuggles into his embrace. “I don’t want to hurt you,” Jack says with a whisper.  
Peeta whispers back, “You won’t. Just don’t jump down and we will be alright.” Peeta squeezes him and kisses Jack’s curls. “I’m glad you are here.”

Jack looks up and gives him a smile. “I’m glad I’m here, too. Mommy brought me.”

“Yes, she did. Or did you bring her?”

Jack looks at Mommy and then giggles. “I did. I brought her with me.”

Peeta looks up to see Katniss, Plutarch and Atala talking. “What are they over there talking about, Bear?”

Jack answers him with a shrug. “I don’t know. Are you hungry, Daddy?”

“Actually I am. Are you?”

“Papa sent you some food.”

“He did?” Jack answers him with a nod. He whispers to him, “Should we wait for those other people to leave so we don’t have to share?”

“But Mommy says we have to.”

“I know. But Atala is getting ready to go, and Plutarch might eat it all.”

Jack laughs at him. “Who is he?”

“That’s my boss.”

Jack face becomes serious. “Is he going to take you away again?”

“What do you mean ‘take me away again’?”

Jack buries his face against Peeta’s chest. “That is the mean man who takes you away from me. He makes you work so you can’t come see me every day and play with me and eat supper with me.”

He sounds so pitiful, Peeta thinks. He rubs Jack’s back and pulls away from him so he can see his face. “Bear, right now, until I can figure out something else, I have to work. I have to help Mommy pay for you and your things. You have to trust me when I say that I’m trying to figure out a way to stay home with you.”

“I know, Daddy. I just miss you. That’s all.”

“And I miss you, too.” 

This time they are interrupted when Dr. Bryant, the orthopedic surgeon, comes in. He looks at everyone gathered in the room and says, “Peeta, you have a lot of visitors today.”

Everyone goes silent except for Peeta. “It seems that way, Doctor. You know everyone but my boss, Plutarch Heavensbee.” The men shake hands.

“Do you have a minute to talk?” Dr. Bryant asks.

“Yes, I do. Feel free to talk in front of everyone. It will keep me from having to repeat it to Plutarch later.”

Dr. Bryant sets down his clipboard and washes his hands. While he is doing that, Atala pulls a chair over to rest beside Peeta’s leg. Katniss, anticipating what is about to happen, picks up Jack off of Peeta’s lap and sits down with him on the bed. Plutarch settles himself in a corner to watch and listen. 

The doctor sits down beside Peeta and begins to undo the Velcro holding the brace on. “Atala, have you gotten Mr. Mellark to do any of the beginning exercises yet?”

“No, sir. I helped him into the wheelchair and Mr. Heavensbee arrived. We were talking with Peeta when his family arrived and then you.” 

Dr. Bryant reaches for his clip board. While he is writing, he tells Atala, “Go ahead and put in an order for the CPM to be brought here to his room. Also, order the cold therapy unit. Let’s get him started on those, two hours on and two hours off.” He pauses for a moment to look at Peeta’s information. “Has Dr. McCoy said anything else about your heart?”  
Peeta looks confused and Katniss says for him, “I think he has been released. But I’m not sure.”

He writes something else down before he continues, “Everything is looking good. Usually a torn ACL would have you home by now. But since you injured more than just you’re ACL, we are going to use a machine called a CPM. You will be strapped into it for two hours at a time. there will also be cold therapy, too.”

“What exactly is the machine going to do for me?” Peeta asks.

“Basically, it’s going to move your joint around so fluid won’t build up. But let’s start with that and the cold. Then tomorrow, Atala, who is going to be your new best friend, is going to start you moving.” He looks at Atala. “Go ahead and show him the ankle pumps and circles while he waits on the machines.” He looks at Peeta again. “If we can get the insurance to agree to let you go home with the machines, and if we can get you on your feet, then you might get to go home tomorrow.” 

Katniss smiles when she sees both of her men perk up with that news. Peeta starts smiling, and Jack starts wiggling. 

Plutarch steps forward. “How long do you think it will be before he can resume his normal activates? Like driving and going to work?”

“Well honestly, Mr. Heavensbee, it could be months. It just depends on how his knee heals. I apologize that I can’t tell you more.” And Dr. Bryant follows Atala out.  
Plutarch says to Peeta, “Well, what do you want to do?”

“About work?” When Plutarch nods, Peeta continues, “Well since I’m going to be right here, why don’t I work on the campaign for the Biltmore house. And there are a couple of other things I need to finish up. But I can do that from home.”

“Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Are you going to be staying at Katniss’s house?”

“Yes. I’m too old to be going back to the bakery and expect Mother to help.”

“I understand that. Well, call me when you get home, and I’ll send what you need.” With another hand shake, Plutarch leaves. 

When it is the family finally alone in Peeta’s room, Katniss gets up and gives him a kiss. Peeta quickly returns it while Jack is behind them saying, “Ewww—“

His parents share a laugh, where their lips are pressed together. Katniss asks Jack and Peeta, “Are you two hungry?” 

Before they get a chance to answer Atala returns with an assistant. Jack points to the contraption they are pushing into the room on a cart and says, “What is that, Mommy?

“They are going to tell us as soon as you sit down and listen,” Katniss replies. Jack sits down on the bed beside her. 

Atala gives him a smile. “Well, first let me introduce you to Tax. He is another therapist you will be working with.” She then points to one of the machines on the cart. “This is going to go on your Dad’s knee to help it get better faster. And then this,” she points to the other machine, “is going to keep his knee cold. We need to help you to get back into the bed.”

Katniss and Jack move so the therapists can help Peeta. Jack looks worried as he watches them work with his Dad. “Why can’t Daddy stand up by his self?”

“Because the doctor said that he can’t—“ Katniss is interrupted by a knock on the door.

Prim steps into the room, and sees what is going on. She says to Jack, “Hey, Bear. Why don’t you come with me and we will go find the snack machines and the gift shop? Let’s let Mommy help Daddy for a minute, ok?”

He walks carefully across the room to his aunt, but never takes his eyes off of his dad. Katniss mouths “thank you.” To Prim. Prim and Jack leave the room, and Katniss can hear   
Jack asking the question he was asking her about Peeta’s knee. 

“He is a very inquisitive little boy,” Tax says.

Peeta laughs. “He likes to know what is happening.”

“He gets that from you,” Katniss cuts in.

“I guess he does.” There is a flash of pain on his face when they start to strap his leg into the machine. 

“Does that hurt?” Atala asks.

With a nod he says, “It does. But I guess that is to be expected.”

They show Katniss how to begin his therapy. Then Atala and Tax excuse themselves, saying that they will be back in two hours. After they leave, Peeta looks at Katniss and says, “Come here.”

She comes close, but not close enough, so he continues to motion for her to come closer. When she is finally close enough, he pulls her down so he can kiss her. Before she can pull all the way away, he mutters against her lips, “I’m hungry.”

“Well then it is a good thing that I have some food.”

“Will you fix me some?”

She pulls away, starts to unpack the food and asks, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m ok. Ready to go home. Ready to get up and walk. What are we going to do?” he says with a little bit of worry in his voice. 

She turns back around with some soup for him. She figures that since he can’t sit up, it might be better to start with the soup. She sits down beside him so she can feed him. He tries to take the spoon away from her, but she says, “Let me. You can’t sit up, so let me.”

“Thank you,” he says in between bites.

“Well, I’m the one who took you up there, and you got hurt. So I guess I better nurse you back to health,” she says with a wink.

“With your expert help and calming bedside manner, I will be better in no time.”

“I’m not an expert.”

“Actually, you are. Prim is an expert. She is your sister. So, therefore, you are an expert by proxy.” he quips.

Katniss is laughing. “Do you even know what ‘by proxy’ means?”

“No. I don’t think I do, actually. I’ve just always wanted to say it in a sentence. And I just did. So there.”

She feeds him another spoonful of soup. “Was it a contest or something? If it is I didn’t get the email that we were playing.”

He is getting ready to say something else when she gives him another taste and they are interrupted when Jack and Prim come bouncing back in. 

“Hey, Bear. Prim, the Mellark’s sent enough food for you to have a sandwich and some soup too. Help yourself.”

“Thanks. I finished up for today and I was getting ready to go home.” Prim says as she digs through the bag. Katniss continues to help Peeta with his soup, and Prim gets Jack started eating his lunch. “Someone please tell me, what did Dr. Bryant say?”

Peeta gives Katniss a nod to go ahead. “Basically he is staying until tomorrow, and then, when he can stand up and his heart is still doing well, then we can go home. He is going to come to the office for his exercises with Atala. And he isn’t sure when Peeta can go back to work. Which means Peeta will be working from home.”

“Does that mean Daddy will be at home all the time now?” Jack asks.

“For now it does—“ Katniss begins.

Jack remembers that he can’t jump on Peeta right now, but he still bounces around the room, saying under his breath, “Daddy is going to stay with me. Daddy isn’t going to leave me.” All three adults exchange glances. 

Katniss says, “We will talk to Jack later. I’m too tired to bust his bubble right now.”

Peeta reaches out and grabs her hand. “It’s ok. We will handle this later.”

“I guess this means Peeta can’t go upstairs right now.” Prim says.

“Oh, crap!” Katniss exclaims.

“Mommy, why did you say crap?” Jack asks.

“I didn’t mean to.” Katniss says. “Prim what are we going to do? Peeta can’t sleep on the couch.”

Prim looks guilty before she says, “Well there is something I need to tell you.”

“And what is that?” Katniss asks.

“Rory and I are moving in together.” 

“That’s good. Why do you look so guilty?” Peeta asks.

“We kind of already did it?” Prim says.

“What do you mean you already ‘did it’?”

“We got an apartment last month.”

“Where is the apartment?” Katniss asks. 

“Here in town, beside the hospital.”

“Oh, wow! Well, that makes sense. At least you won’t have that drive everyday.” Katniss realizes what Prim is saying. “So since you will be gone, that means we can put a bed in the study for Peeta. Oh, that will be perfect!” Katniss says.

“You have a study?” Peeta questions.

“Well, it’s not really a study. It’s just the area under the stairs. Daddy used to joke and say that was our study,” Prim says. “You can always take my old bed down stairs and use it, so you won’t have to take yours apart.”

“That is a good idea,” Katniss says. “You don’t need it?”

“No. we bought a new bed.”

“If they are going to release you tomorrow, then I need to get that bed moved—“

“Give me my cell phone,” Peeta requests.

Peeta calls Graham, who asks Bram, who happens to be standing there in the bakery, if he could help Prim or Katniss to move Prim’s bed downstairs for Peeta. They agree to meet at the house to help. Katniss tells Prim to go ahead and go home to her new apartment, and she takes Jack back home to get it ready for Peeta. 

Bram meets her at the house, and then Gale, who comes over when he sees her coming down their street, move the bed. Katniss goes about just making the place tidy. After a restful night of sleep, she takes Jack to Madge’s and goes to pick up Peeta. It takes a small army to get everything into her Jeep and many trips to get everything into the house. Finally, Peeta is hooked up to the machines for his therapy, Katniss has everything tucked away, and Jack is back. 

By now, it’s getting late, and she has nothing to prepare for supper. She grabs her phone, and starts to walk over to where Peeta is to see what kind of take out he wants to order; when the doorbell rings. She answers the door, surprised to see Finnick and Annie there with their picnic basket. She opens the door wider, and is ready to ask them why they are here, when Haymitch steps up behind them holding take-out containers from Sae’s. Katniss just steps out of the way to let everyone come in, when Gale, Madge and Daniel come in behind Haymitch with grocery bags. 

Speechless, Katniss watches everyone set the food on the table and greet Jack and Peeta. She is getting ready to shut the door, when Vick, Posy and Hazelle appear on her porch carrying more food. This time, before Katniss tries to shut the door, she looks out to see if anyone else might be coming, and laughs to herself when she sees Prim and Rory pull up in his old truck. She just leaves the door open, and starts greeting everyone. 

She hears the bell on the screen door jingle, and turns to see Graham and Anna coming in the door, followed by Bram and Missy, their kids and Rye and Candice. She isn’t surprised at all to see all of them carrying bags from the bakery and the grocery. 

She gives a couple of hugs as she makes her way through the crowd to where Peeta has unattached himself from his therapy machines and is sitting up on the bed. She sits down beside him. His hand finds hers and gives it a squeeze. He clears his throat and says, “Can I have everyone’s attention?” 

Everyone finds a spot where they can see Peeta and Katniss sitting together. They share a kiss, and Peeta begins, “Some of you may or may not know why I agreed to let Katniss take me to the top of Cold Mountain. And it wasn’t to screw up my knee.”

She slaps his arm with her free hand and mutters, “Oh, Peeta.”

He gives her a smile, and continues, “While we were up there, I asked Katniss to marry me. And she said yes!”

There is a moment of silence as everyone processes the news. Then there are big smiles all around, and a small mob of people come forward to offer their congratulations. Soon after hugs are given, everyone helps to set up a buffet so everyone can fix themselves a plate. 

Katniss makes Peeta a plate, and takes it to him where he still sits talking to Finnick and Gale. “Thank you. Can I have something to drink, too? Please?” Peeta asks. And that is when Jack steps around Katniss and hands him his travel mug with the lid on it. Peeta chuckles. “Is this my new sippy cup?”

Jack laughs and says, “Yes. You might make a mess.” Then his little face gets serious. “Why are you and Mommy getting married? If you get married does that mean you have to stay with us?”

Gale and Finnick overhear what Jack says and quickly excuse themselves. Katniss sits beside Peeta and pulls Jack onto her lap. “When people get married, it’s because they love each other. And we do love each other and we love you,” She says.

Peeta says, “When you get married, you make a promise that you will never leave. That you will take care of each other—“ 

“Because that is what you do,” Katniss interrupts. They share a smile. 

“Because that is what you do,” Peeta echoes. 

“So you won’t ever leave again?” Jack asks. “You will sleep here every night?”

“There might be some nights where I might have to go out of town. But I will always come back to you. I promise you that, Jack,” Peeta says. 

Jack smiles a satisfied smile while his parents share a kiss, and their friends and families thank the heavens for finally getting these two to this point.


	21. Epilouge... the Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe that we are at this point. I mean really, who would have thought, that I could have done this. But I did. And then what amazes me even more beyond that point is that you, my dear, sweet, most precious reader, took the time out of your busy, crazy wonderful life to read something I wrote. You humble me. Thank you. I hope you are happy with this. I really do. I, honestly, could have kept on writing about them in this AU universe. And Jack… if you are lucky enough to have any little ones in your life, cherish them. They grow up too fast.
> 
> There are so many who I need to thank. First, sohypothectially, thank you! Your support means so much! I know I couldn’t have finished without you. Even when I was ready to quit, you, miss and jojo said that I wasn’t allowed to do that. Thank you ladies. And then to my husband for not thinking I was too crazy when I started this. 
> 
> Then a BIG thank you to my pre readers, Maria and Madison. You ladies rock!!!! You stepped in when I needed you to. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 
> 
> I need to thank nonnie_mouse and janeerye54. without their encouragement, I never would have even started this. 
> 
> And now for the people who have reviewed. Some of you, just once or twice. Others have reviewed every chapter. Thank you. I don’t have enough words to tell you how much every word has meant. 
> 
> And now, for what we have been waiting for, the wedding!!!!
> 
> As usual, I don’t own anything. The hunger games, the song, the vows…except for Jack. He's coming home with me.

A year later… in May…

“Katniss! Don’t bunch up the tulle like that! It will get wrinkled. I spent too much time making those damn bows for you to be scrunching them up like that,” Madge fusses at her. “How many people did you say are coming today?”

“I’m still not entirely sure. We were just going to invite people here in town, but then Peeta went freelance, so now he needs to invite his business connections too. But then he mentioned just inviting who he used to work with. I have 100 chairs. And he is making food for 200. I let him take care of that. I’ve been kind of busy.”

Katniss has. It’s been a year since Cold Mountain. After Peeta got home, he had to go to therapy four times a week. Then he had to go back in to have emergency surgery when Dr. Bryant figured out that some of the tendons weren’t healing correctly. That set back his recovery by about six weeks. Meanwhile, Katniss’s business took off. She had more hikers coming through, more internet business; which was mostly Peeta’s fault. While he wasn’t at therapy, he was sitting in her office, getting her business out there, selling some hard-to-find items to hikers. 

Peeta, meanwhile, still works Plutarch, finishing up the couple of projects that Plutarch asked him to do. But even that has slowed down considerably. He started to do more freelance work, which Jack loved. If it meant that his dad could stay home and not have to go out of town, Jack was all for it. After a couple of setbacks with his knee, Peeta can finally walk without crutches. He still has to wear his brace. Which is ok. He wants to marry Katniss on his feet, and not sitting in a wheelchair. 

Jack is now six. He loves his Mommy. He loves his Daddy. He kind of likes school, mostly recess and lunch. He liked playing football in the fall. And likes that Daddy is starting to teach him how to play baseball. He loves to have Daniel and Tyler come over and play. He is ok with his cousin Molly playing too when he plays with Tyler. He just gets tired of “being easy” with her. And now baby Jessie, Daniel’s little sister, is crawling and pulling up. He wants to play with her, but since she is only eight months old, he is still afraid to. So he usually just hands her toys and when she throws them at him, he gives them back to her. Daniel rolls his eyes at Jack and drags him to go play something else. 

“Oh Madge, you know Katniss wouldn’t be much help decorating. That is why we are here,” Prim says with a smirk. 

“We should have gone to Vegas.” Katniss mutters under her breath.

“What did you say?” Madge teases her.

Katniss scowls at her and says, “Nothing. I thought Jo was going to be here by now?”

“I think she went to the Mellark’s instead to help them with the food.” Annie says as she hangs another bow. 

“She told Peeta last night that as much as she loves being a woman, she can’t handle the decorating part. So he told her to help at the bakery,” Delly adds as she arranges more flowers where Katniss and Peeta are going to stand. 

“Well, this is only getting done because you all volunteered for it,” Katniss says. She pauses for a moment to watch the boys help Gale set up the chairs in the semi- circle they finally agreed on last night during rehearsal. Finnick fiddles with the sound system, and when the Macarena comes on. Annie laughs and starts doing the hand motions with the song. Katniss is annoyed and relieved that it’s working. She still can’t believe that there are going to be so many here that they need a sound system. She pauses for a moment, when her stomach starts rolling. She doesn’t say a thing, but runs into the house. 

She barely makes it to the bathroom when her lunch comes back up. It must be her nerves, and doesn’t think any more about it while she brushes her teeth.

Annie and Madge wait for her in the hallway. “Are you, ok?” Annie ask.

Katniss puts her hand over her stomach where it is still rolling. “I think so. It must be my nerves--” The house phone ringing interrupts her.

“Hello?” she answers.

“Hello, my beautiful bride,” Peeta says softly.

“Hey, you,” her voice softens. “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting ready to marry the most wonderful girl in the world.” She can hear Bram and Rye singing “Going to the chapel, and we are going to get married—“ in the back ground. Katniss and Peeta laugh together.

“Your brothers are dorks,” She says.

“Yes, they are. But they are getting ready to be your dorky brothers too. I think I’m getting a much better trade out of the deal. I get Prim for a sister.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I get you,” She says with a smile and a blush. She can hear Annie and Madge saying ‘aww’ behind her. “Are you going to helping with the buffet? When are you coming over?”

“That’s why I’m calling. I think Mom and Dad are coming with the food. I’m going to finish getting ready, and then I’ll come with the cake. When are you going to start getting ready?”

She doesn’t get a chance to answer because she hands the phone to Annie and runs for the bathroom again. She can’t make out what Annie is saying, but she knows that she is telling Peeta that she is sick. She weakly picks her head up and says, “Tell him that I am still marrying him today. Even if I’m puking my guts out!” 

She is still waiting over the toilet when Lily and Prim come to check on her. Prim is there with a wet washcloth, and Lily asks Annie and Madge if she had eaten anything. “When was the last time you were this sick?” Prim asks.

Realization dawns on everyone at the same time. Before they can say anything, Madge says, “I have one at my house leftover from Jessie. I’ll be right back.” Annie goes with her.

Lily hands her a glass of water to sip, and Prim hands her a specimen cup. Katniss gives her a questioning look and Prim shrugs and says, “Somehow, they end up in my pockets. It’s clean, the sticker hasn’t even been torn. Just hurry up and pee in it.”

When Katniss opens the bathroom door again, she hands the cup to Prim and says, “I’m going to go lay down.”

“I’ll bring you a cold pack,” Lily says. 

She has just gotten comfortable when Prim and Lily come into the room. “I figured you would want to watch the results,” Prim says as she goes into the bathroom. She comes back with the pregnancy test that she already dipped, and puts the cap back on. With her mom on one side and her sister on the other, they watch the test tell them that they are going to be a mother, an aunt and a nana all over again. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

“Hell, Haymitch. Who are all of these people?” Johanna asks as they watch guests come into the yard and look for a seat. “Where did they all park?”

Haymitch takes a swig out of the flask he pulls from his pocket. “Most of these people are from Panem. Sweetheart, there has made a lot of friends over the years. And then when the boy moved back, well, everyone had to come and see them get married. I don’t think they expected this many to actually show up. There aren’t going to be enough chairs for everyone.”

Delly, who volunteered months ago to be the wedding coordinator, appears at Haymitch’s side. “Do you have the phone number for the church’s handyman?”

“I think so. Are we going to need more chairs?” Haymitch asks. 

Jo says with a smirk, “What made you think that, old man? Call them. My truck is parked at Gale’s. We can hurry over there and pick up some more.” She looks at Delly and says, “How long do we have until the ceremony is supposed to start?”

Delly looks at her watch. “Two more hours. Graham and Anna aren’t even here yet with the food or Peeta with the cake. I told them what time to be here—“ 

“Calm down, sweetheart. The Calvary just arrived,” Haymitch quips. 

Bram’s truck pulls up outside the gate that they have open to welcome guests into the backyard. “Oh, thank God!” Delly says and walks over with Haymitch and Jo following behind so they can help, too. “No, Haymitch. We’ll get this. I need you and Jo to go get those chairs.”

After Jo and Haymitch leave, Delly, with Madge and Annie’s help, finishes decorating the yard while Bram and Rye set up the buffet table. When they are finished, Annie and Madge go inside with Katniss.  
Chairs are lined up so that there is a center isle leading to the platform that Peeta, Gale and Finnick built last weekend. Surrounding the platform are poles which are holding up the gentle lights that Jack had said the night before, “Looks like there are fairies flying around them.”

When Peeta arrives next, Jack runs to meet him. “Hey, Dad. Did you finish the cake?”

“But, of course. And I want it to be a surprise for your mom. Can you run in and see if she has gone to Madge’s yet to get ready?”

“Yeah. Wait for me to come back. I want to help you.”

“Ok, I will. Hurry now. I still need to finish getting ready.” Peeta tells him. 

Jack takes off running into the house. Finnick comes over and says, “Is there anything I can help with?”

Peeta hands Finnick a cake box. “Actually there is. When I called Katniss earlier, she was sick. Can you go check on her? Go ahead and take that with you into the kitchen.”

“I didn’t know she was sick. Let me go see what is going on.” Finnick walks into the house. 

Jack and Finnick pass each other. “Mommy is getting ready to go to Auntie Madge’s. She said you can’t come in yet.”

Peeta tries not to worry, but pulls out his cell phone anyway. He quickly pushes her icon. 

“Hey,” she answers. She sounds hoarse. “You’re here.”

“I am. Are you ok?” he asks trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

“I’m feeling a little rough. But that isn’t going to keep me from walking down that aisle to you,” she says with a smile in her voice.

“I wish I could see you. Even for just a minute,” he says wistfully.

“I want to see you, too.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m in the kitchen watching you,” she giggles.

“Meet me at the front door.” He smiles as he grabs his extra tie out of his truck. “Wait for me to knock, and then come out onto the porch.”

He can hear the smile in her voice when she says, “Ok.”

Five minutes later he is knocks on the door, with his eyes blindfolded. He hears her come out and laugh softly. He reaches for her, and she steps into his arms. She wraps her arms around him, and he pulls her close in his. He can smell her hair and kisses her there. “Are you ok?” he asks.

She nods against him. “I feel better.” He can feel her pull away so she can see him. “I like your blindfold. Don’t lose it. We might need it for after.”

He laughs with her. After he kisses her again he says, “Why don’t you go ahead to Madge’s and lay down for a minute. I’ll go tell everyone where you are.”

She stands on her tiptoes and kisses his chin. “Thank you. I think I will do that. Will you tell Mama to come on over, too?”

He brings her in for a long kiss that reminds them both of the promises they are about to make, to promise their love to each other. They part breathlessly, and he rests his forehead against hers so he can catch his breath. “Well, I do believe Miss Everdeen, that was my last kiss as a single man.” 

She giggles and kisses him again. “No, that one was.”  
Not to be outdone, he kisses her again. “No, I say that one.”

Before they have another chance to kiss, Anna comes out. Even though he can’t see the disapproval on her face, he can hear it in her voice. “I told you two, you can’t see her, Peeta until the ceremony!”

“But Mom—“

“No! Its bad luck. You know about my sister. They saw each other and got divorced—“

“Mom!”

“What?” she says annoyed.

“I have a blindfold on.”

“I’m going on to Madge’s house, Anna. I guess come on over or call me if you need me.” Then his wonderful bride kisses him again and says against his lips, “That is your last single man kiss.” And then he can hear her boots walking away. 

He waits for a moment, and says, “Is she gone, yet?”

“Take off the blindfold.”

He eases it off and instead of finding a mad Anna, he sees a woman who over the past year has come to mean so much to him and Katniss and Jack. Before she has a chance to say anything, he wraps his arms around her. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, son. Let’s go get you married.”

Kpkpkpkpkp

“Are you feeling ok?” Prim asks her.

With a nod, she says, “I’m fine.” And she slips her arms into the lace cap sleeves of her dress. She gives a little wiggle and feels the dress settle around her. Lily zips it for her. Katniss then looks at the dress and herself in the mirror. 

Cinna took Lily’s old dress, and Anna’s old dress and made hers from the two of them. It’s a cream colored, cap sleeved, tea length dress. There is also lace overlay. She knows that while some might think that it’s too simple to be a wedding dress, she adores it. 

The girl’s dresses are completely different from hers. Prim and Annie picked out ones that are more of a mini than the tea length Madge picked. They are the same sunset orange. Even little Jessie, who will be the flower girl, with her brother Daniel pulling her in a wagon, will be in sunset orange too. 

Madge comes into her bedroom with Jessie on her hip. “Before you even ask, I just came from your house. And yes, the men are dressed, and the boys are over here.” Before she can say anything else, Jack pushes Madge aside and comes running into the room. 

“Mommy!” he pauses, notching how dressed up she is. “You look beautiful, Mommy. I got something for you!”

“What is it, Bear?”

With a flourish, he gives her a big bouquet of daisies and dandelions that she knows he picked on the way over to Madge’s. “I saw last night when we were practicing that you didn’t have any flowers. So I picked you some. Will you carry them when you marry Daddy?”

She gently wipes at her tears and says, “I would love to.” and she keeps Jack busy so he doesn’t see Madge tuck the bouquet that Delly has made away. She straightens his little sunset orange bow tie, and asks, “Are you ready to walk me down the aisle?”

He gives her the trademark Mellark smile and gets her hand. And together, they walk out the bedroom door.

Kpkpkpkpkp

Katniss can see the platform from the kitchen window. She can kind of see Peeta and the guys standing there. She turns to see Annie, Prim and Madge adjusting their dresses, making sure Jessie isn’t going to fall out of her wagon, and checking Daniel and Jack’s faces from where they have been sneaking wedding cookies.

Delly comes rushing in at the same time the bluegrass band starts playing “You Are My Sunshine”. She gives Annie a nod, and she starts down the aisle. Madge follows, then Prim. Then it’s Daniel, with the ring pillow, and little Jessie enjoying the wagon ride with her brother. The congregation doesn’t miss the look that their parents have on their faces ready to spring into action any minute in case something, mostly Daniel, happens. 

When the band starts singing that is Katniss and Jack’s cue. She steps out the back door, and looks for Peeta. Her breath catches in her throat and she watches him wipe his own eyes. He looks so handsome in khaki’s, his navy linen jacket, his white shirt and sunset orange bow tie. She blinks the tears away and feels Jack tug on her hand. “Are you ready, Mommy?”

She squeezes back. “I am. Let’s go get married.”

They walk down the aisle pausing when they get to the front. Peeta steps forward and Jack slips his hand into his. Katniss catches Peeta’s eye and gives him a smile. 

Pastor MacLeod clears his throat and begins, “Friends and family, I would like to welcome you on behalf of Katniss, Peeta and Jack. Today we gather together to celebrate the coming together of these three hearts.” He then looks to Jack and asks, “Are you ready to read?”

Jack nods and goes to the microphone. He begins to read, “Love is patient, and love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. First Corinthians thirteen.” and then he hurries to sit down with Grandma Anna and Daniel in the front row. 

“Thank you, Jack,” Pastor MacLeod says. ‘Love is a miraculous gift, and a wedding is a celebration of that magic, and that is why we are here today. We are gathered together to be overjoyed for, and with, Peeta and Katniss, who are so wonderfully suited to one another that it is a pure delight for the rest of us to see how happy two people can be. 

“As the writer Richard Bach has so beautifully stated, “A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we’re pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise. Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction… Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life.’

“Now Peeta, Katniss, join hands and please make your promises to one another.”

Peeta looks into her eyes, smiles a million-watt smile at her and begins, “I Peeta, take you, Katniss to be my loving bride. For better or worse, I pledge to you my heart and my life. As you have been a loving mother to Jack, now let us come together as a family- mother, father and son, together from this day on. I promise to love, guide and respect Jack and Katniss with my whole heart for my whole life. With this ring,” he slips the band of gold onto her finger, “I give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my bride this day and forevermore.”

Katniss wipes a tear before she begins, “I Katniss take you Peeta to be my loving husband. For better or worse, I pledge to you my heart and my life. You have shown me this past year how you can be a loving father to Jack and a loving partner to me. I promise to love you with my whole heart for my whole life everything I am and everything I have.” She slips his gold band onto his finger. “I give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my husband this day and forevermore.”

“Amen.” Pastor Macleod agrees. “Do you Peeta Mellark, take Katniss Everdeen, to be your beloved bride, knowing in your heart that you will be a faithful friend, and a loving companion? On this special day, in the presence of family and friends as witnesses, do you give your sacred vow that you will always be with Katniss and support her, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow? Do you promise to love her completely, to console and comfort her during difficult times, to laugh with her and to grieve with her, to share with her life’s simplest but most enduring pleasures, to be truthful and honest with her, and to cherish her, for as long as you both shall live?”

This time, Peeta wipes a tear. “I do.”

Do you Katniss Everdeen, take Peeta Mellark, to be your beloved husband, knowing in your heart that you will be a faithful friend, and a loving companion? On this special day, in the presence of family and friends as witnesses, do you give your sacred vow that you will always be with Peeta and support him, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow? Do you promise to love him completely, to console and comfort him during difficult times, to laugh with him and to grieve with him, to share with him life’s simplest but most enduring pleasures, to be truthful and honest with him, and to cherish him, for as long as you both shall live?”

Katniss wipes more tears and says, “I do.”

Annie and Finnick, who grabs his guitar, gather behind the microphones. They share a nervous smile, and Finnick begins to play. 

 

Finnick: Dancin' in the dark  
Middle of the night  
Takin' your heart  
And holdin' it tight

 

Emotional touch  
Touchin' my skin  
And askin' you to do  
What you've been doin' all over again

 

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

And then, Annie joins in: It's your love  
It just does somethin' to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough  
And if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under  
It's your love

 

Finnick: Better than I was  
More than I am  
And all of this happened  
By takin' your hand

 

And who I am now  
Is who I wanted to be  
Annie joins in again: And now that we're together  
I'm stronger than ever  
I'm happy and free

 

Finnick: Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in, no  
And if you asked me why I changed  
All I gotta do is say your sweet name

 

Finnick and Annie: It's your love  
It just does somethin' to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough  
And if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under  
It's your love  
Oh, baby

 

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

 

It's your love  
It just does somethin' to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough  
And if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under  
It's your love

 

Several people wipe their eyes after that. Pastor MacLeod waits for everyone to give him their attention. He says, “By the power invested in me by the state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you man and wife. Peeta, you may kiss your bride.”

Peeta gathers her in his arms. Their eyes meet and Peeta slowly lowers his lips to hers. It’s a sweet, long kiss. When Peeta pulls away from her, he gives her a smile and says, “Finally! My first kiss as a married man.” Her laughter rings out over the crowd, and they join her, since they heard everything Peeta just said through the microphone he wears. 

Jack joins them again, and Pastor MacLeod announces, “May I present to you, Peeta, Katniss and Jack Mellark!” and they go down the aisle, followed by the wedding party. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

Somewhere in their busy back yard are her shoes. She hopes they are under the table where she thinks she slipped them off before Peeta grabbed her to dance with him. 

Then it is time to cut the cake. Peeta made a beautiful, two-tiered creation. It is iced in a light green icing, and he had made spring flowers to decorate it. Inside it is a simple white almond cake with raspberry filling. Then there are the cupcakes. There are at least 250 of them and they are chocolate, and strawberry, lemon and classic white. 

Finnick calls out, “Smash the cake, Katniss!”

She just smiles and shakes her head at him. Peeta gently feeds her a piece of the cake. Then she picks up a piece and feeds him. Many in the crowd say, “Aww!” and before anyone can say anything else, Peeta sweeps her into another dance.

Kpkpkpkpkp

They had already put their stuff into the Jeep before the wedding so they could make a quick getaway to the cabin. After ten minutes of good byes and thank yous, they run out to where it’s parked on the street. 

“Damn it,” Peeta whispers.

“It’s ok. They just wanted to have some fun.” She looks all around the vehicle. “At least there isn’t any shaving cream right on the paint—“

They hear not-so-little footsteps coming up behind them. Breathlessly, Jack says, “Is it time to go?”

Katniss’s heart sinks. “We talked about this, Bear. Daddy and I are going to the cabin until Monday. When we get back, we are going to all stay here until Tuesday and then we have a big surprise planned for you. Remember?”

He still looks sad, but perks up a little at the mention of the surprise. “You are just going to the cabin? Daddy isn’t going to go mountain climbing?”

Peeta laughs, and picks him up in a hug. “No, son. I don’t think I’m allowed to do that anymore.”

Relief washes his face. “And you will just be at Papa’s cabin?” 

“Yes. Doing perfectly boring, grown up things,” Peeta says, then chokes back a laugh when Katniss tries not to laugh outright. “I thought you wanted to stay here and play with Daniel and Jessie? And I thought everyone was going to go play with Tyler and Molly.”

“Oh, yeah. We are going to do that.” He leaps into Peeta’s arms. “I love you, Daddy.”

Pulling him in tight, Peeta stands and whispers into his hair, “I love you too, son.”

“My turn,” Katniss says.

Jack’s arms squeeze tight around her waist. She gets down on his level and brings him into her arms. She closes her eyes for a moment, enjoying his smell before she lets him go. Before she does, she whispers to him, “I love you, Bear. Be good for Auntie Madge.”

“I’ve told you, it’s Daniel who thinks of all of those things to do. It’s not me.”

“What about when you tricked Prim into buying you that toy last month?” Peeta asks.

Jack does try to look a little embarrassed at that. “She said that she missed me. So I told her that I didn’t have enough money saved up—“

“And that you needed it for a project at school,” Prim finishes for him. “Why I thought you needed another truck for school is beyond me.” She holds out her hand for him. “Come on, kiddo. They need to get on the road.”

Jack gives his parents more hugs and kisses. He watches them get the toilet paper off of the door, and get in. He hangs on to Prim as they pull away from the curb. He tries to be a big boy and not cry, but he can’t stop the tears from coming. 

Prim quickly swoops him up, hugs him tight, and sits down on the ground. He buries his face in her neck. She knows that if she waits just a moment, he will start talking. “I wanted to go with them.” 

“I know, sweet boy. They will be back on Monday. Do you remember your days of the week?” She waits for him to nod. “Today is Saturday. Then there is Sunday—“

He interrupts, “Then Monday. I still wanted to go with them.”

Prim pulls him closer. They sit like that for a while. “I don’t have to work tomorrow. Do you want me to stay here with you?”

“I thought you had to go to your house.”

“Not if my favorite person in the whole entire world needs me.” She lifts up his chin. “Do you want me to stay?”

When he nods, she says, “Ok. We’ll call Mommy in a minute. Let’s go tell Auntie Madge and Uncle Gale.”

And they walk back to the party in the yard.

Kpkpkpkpkp  
It’s late when they finally make it to the cabin.

When they started planning the wedding, Peeta wanted to be in charge of the honeymoon stuff. The only thing Katniss insisted on was that they have a couple of days where it’s just them. Then they could go home, get Jack, and go on a long trip. With a kiss and a smile, Peeta said that he would take care of everything. She still doesn’t know what his plans are when they pick up Jack. 

They made small talk about who was at the wedding while they drove. It’s only about an hour to the cabin from Panem, so it isn’t that late when they get there. It isn’t until they pull into the driveway, and her stomach growls that she remembers that all she had to eat was the bite of cake Peeta had fed her. Her stomach is so loud that Peeta laughs and says, “I’m glad Mom packed us some food.”

“Oh, she did? Thank God! I am so hungry.”

He leans over and kisses her. It’s not one of those quick and fast ones, but slow and full of promise for what’s coming. “Let’s go eat,” He says against her lips. 

She can only nod, her nose rubbing against his. They get out of the Jeep, and she starts to get their bags. He swoops her up and kisses her nose. “I’ll get all that,” and carries her onto the porch. 

He struggles with the key, so she takes it from his hand and unlocks it. She pushes the door open, and before he takes her in, he kisses her again. “I love you, Mrs. Mellark.”

She gives him a shy peck back and says, “I love you too, Mr. Mellark.”

He crosses the threshold with her. He walks to the bedroom that they both think of as theirs. When they are in there, he sets her down on her feet. 

Her hair is still up in the complicated braid that Prim had woven into it earlier. He wants to leave it in for now. Without a word, he cups her face, and kisses her lips, then her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead. 

She giggles and pulls away. “Are you going to kiss me all over?”

“Actually, before the night is over with, I think I will,” he says with a grin. His mouth is open, getting ready to say something else, when her stomach growls. 

“I think you need to feed me first,” she says. “Will you unzip me?”

He grabs her shoulders and gently turns her so he can reach the zipper of the wedding dress. He runs his fingers down her back and she shivers in response. “Where is your bra?” he whispers in her ear.

She turns back around, and he loves that he can still make her blush. “I don’t have a white or a cream colored one. And the dress is so tight I didn’t really need one. Can you go get our bags, please? And the food?”

“Yeah. Is there anything else you need out of the Jeep?”

“My purse. We need to call Jack. Even though he might be asleep.”

He walks out of the bedroom and she carefully takes her dress off. She walks over to the closet and hangs it up. Then she reaches for the lingerie box that she hid there several years ago. She tried it on last week when she came by to clean up for this weekend. She gets the box and goes into the bathroom to change. 

She slips the baby doll nightie on. She looks closer at herself now that she knows that she is pregnant. She glances in the mirror to see if it’s straight. And to her surprise, she can faintly see the vertical line that she had with Jack starting at her belly button and reaching up. She assumes that since this is her second, everything is going to happen faster. Rubbing the space around her button, she says softly, “Hey baby.” And blinks back the tears that quickly come. She must be really tired, and it has been a long day. 

She grabs the old bath robe that she has kept here since she was 16. Good thing it looks so ratty. Peeta is going to be so surprised, she thinks to herself. 

She hears him out in the kitchen warming the leftovers up. She pulls the pins from her hair. It takes her a good couple of minutes to get them all. She goes ahead and pulls out the braids, too, so that her hair is in gentle curls falling past her shoulders. She looks again in the mirror, satisfied, and goes out to help Peeta.

He doesn’t need her help. He has already made them a plate and has the table set with wine glasses and candles. He hears her approaching, but doesn’t turn around. He starts to pour her a glass of wine, when she asks, “Did anyone include any of the tea? I think I would rather have that.”

He glances at her over his shoulder, and to her satisfaction, he has a hint of disappointment in his eyes when he sees her bathrobe. “I just put some in the refrigerator.” And he moves to grab it. 

She sits in her seat and enjoys the aroma of the dinner. Anna had made her lamb stew, while Graham made roast chicken. On Peeta’s plate is the rare roast beef that was the other choice. Then there are new fingerling potatoes, asparagus and flower rolls. 

She waits for Peeta to come and sit down beside her before she starts eating. He sits and watches her for a minute. “I like your robe,” he says.

“Oh, this old thing? I am ready to get comfortable.” And she brings a bite of the chicken to her mouth. She has had Graham’s roast chicken before, but this is the most delicious thing the man has even made. She gives an appreciative groan and takes another bite. 

Peeta watches her and, with a laugh, he says, “I hope I can make you groan like that in a little bit.” And then she reaches across for a bite of his roast beef. This time, it’s a grateful moan that escapes her lips. 

“This is so good,” She says in between bites. They don’t say anything but enjoy their wedding feast in quiet. She must have eaten too fast or something, because her stomach starts rolling as soon as she eats the potatoes. She covers her mouth with her napkin and looks up at Peeta worriedly. 

“Katniss, what is—“

And he doesn’t get to finish, before she stands up quickly, knocking her chair to the floor, and runs to 

their bathroom. She barely makes it before she vomits everything she just ate. Her eyes close, praying that the nausea will stop soon. 

She hears Peeta talking to her from the bedroom. “Are you ok?”

Her vomiting noises answer him. When she finally stops, she can hear him pacing in the bedroom. “Peeta,” she weakly says. 

He doesn’t answer her, so she calls again for him, “Peeta. I need you.”

Then a strange smell assaults her senses. She doesn’t even have time to wonder what he is doing, before she vomits again. When he hears her flush, he comes into the bathroom to check on her. “Are you going to be ok?”

“I will be. Can you help me up?” He starts to take her into the bedroom when she stops him. “I need to brush my teeth.” 

He holds her while she brushes, and then gently takes her to the bed. He sets her down and says, “What will make you feel better?”

“I need the ice pack out of the freezer, the crackers in the cabinet and tea or ginger ale.” Then she lays her head down to wait for the waves of nausea to stop.

Soon he has brought her all of the things she asked for. With the ice pack on her head, and munching on the crackers and sipping the ginger ale, she starts to feel human again. “What was that smell?”

“What smell?” he asks.

“When I was vomiting. I thought I was done and then I smelled a strange smell. That is why I vomited again.”

He looks embarrassed and admits, “I sprayed Lysol. The smell was awful. Are you ok?”

“You must be scared. You keep on asking me that.”

“Well I am scared. Do I need to take you to the emergency room?”

“No this is fairly normal. With Jack it was much worse.”

“When was Jack sick?” he asks worried.

“No I meant when I was pregnant with Jack.” she says with a little smile. 

“Oh, ok. Well good. Do you feel like eating anything else?” and he gets up to take her empty glass to the kitchen and stops in the doorway. He turns slowly and asks, “What do you mean, ‘when you were pregnant with Jack’?”

“When I was pregnant with Jack, I was sicker than this. This is normal.”

He is quiet while he stands there, thinking about what she just said. His hair is stands up from where he has been running his fingers through it. His tie is loosened and his shirt sleeves are rolled up. He looks so sexy and beautiful standing there, she thinks. 

“Are you telling me—“

“I’m pregnant.” She finishes for him. She slowly stands up and takes off her bathrobe. “I think I vomited on that.” 

He rushes back over to her and pulls her into a hug. “When did you find out?”

“I vomited before I got dressed, before I went to Madge’s. Mama asked me if I might be, and Madge had a test left over from Jessie. I took it, and it’s positive.”

 

His face breaks into a smile. “You’re pregnant.” He says more to himself than to her. “You’re pregnant.” This time he grabs her, picking her up so that they are nose to nose and kisses her. “I can’t believe that we are going to be parents again. And this time I’m not going to miss anything.” And he sits down with her on his lap. 

Tears spring to her eyes unexpectedly. “I love you,” she whispers. 

“Hey what is a matter? Are you crying?”

She gives him a little nod. He pulls her closer still, and she says, “I guess I still feel guilty for not trying harder when I found out about Jack.”

He cups her cheeks and brings her face around until she is looking into his eyes. “I told you that we aren’t going to go there anymore. All is forgiven.” He kisses her again. “I love and adore you.” He places his hand on her belly. “Is this about where she is?”

She nods and says, “It might be another boy.”

“No. this one is a girl. Or a boy. It doesn’t matter.” He nudges her off of his lap. “I’m going to go get more comfortable so we can get some sleep.”

“You mean we aren’t going to—“

“Oh I thought you were too tired.” He says. 

She loosens his bow tie and kisses him along his neck. He grabs her waist and moans into her touch. “I’m not tired. I feel much better now.” She unbuttons his shirt, freeing his buttons from their captivity. When she gets to the end, she pulls the shirt loose from his pants. He watches her as she pushes it off of his shoulders, and it lands on the floor. She gently pushes him until his legs are against the edge of the bed and he sits down. She crouches down and helps him off with his loafers. 

She stands up, and without a word, pushes on his shoulders until he lands backwards on the bed. She crawls up on top of him so she can straddle his waist. He brings up his hands and gets the hem of the nightie she is wearing. 

He rubs the orange silk in between his fingers and says, “This is beautiful. Did you buy this just for me?”

She says softly, “Actually, I bought this the weekend after you proposed to me the first time.”

“You mean you have had this for—“

“7 years.”

He sits up, with her still on his lap. He pulls her into a hug. “I have been such a fool.” He buries his face in her neck. 

She pulls him closer still, and runs her fingers through his hair. He looks up at her and she kisses him. He runs his hands up her back, and smiles against her lips when she shivers in his arms. “All we can do is move on from this moment.” She presses her forehead to his. “I love you.”

“I love you and I plan on showing you how much every day from now on.” He captures her lips in a kiss. He shifts, and she rolls over onto her back. He kisses her shoulder and says, “I’m going to love you here,” then he kisses her other shoulder and says, “and here.” He leans back and plays with the tie that holds the nightie together. He meets her eyes and slowly unties it. He presses a kiss in between her breasts, and says, “And here.”

He moves the scrap of fabric off of both of her breasts, and lightly runs his fingers over her nipples, enjoying the goose bumps that greet him. Pressing kisses to her neck, he follows the trail that he knows well, down to her breasts. He loudly sucks on nipple while he gently rolls the other with his fingertips. She runs her fingers through his hair, and gently pulls on it when he sucks the nipple in deep and releases it with a bite. When she guides him to the other breast, he chuckles. “Are you getting impatient?”

“No,” breathlessly she replies. “The other one is feeling left out.”

“Well, we can’t let that happen, can we?” He kisses the other breast, and then begins to tease it and bite it like he did the other one. She arches her back so he can take more of her in his mouth. He releases her with a loud pop. She meets his lips with a greedy kiss. This time she pushes him back onto the bed. 

With a smirk on her face, she scoots down so she is eye level with his crotch. She tries to undo his pants, but she can’t quite get the button loose. He returns her grin and reaches down to help her. They both work to get his pants off, with her tugging and he wiggling his hips. 

“That was entirely too much work.” She says. Then she slips his boxers off his hips, freeing his cock. 

“Is it worth it?” he asks. 

Before she answers him, she licks him from the base all the way to the tip. She loves to see the look on his face when she does that, and he doesn’t disappoint her. The mixture of bliss and anticipation is almost too much. She takes his head in her mouth and gently sucks on the mushroom top like she would a lollipop. She releases him, and while she looks up at him, she licks his slit. This time, she smiles at the shutter that travels through his body. 

He brings his hands to caress her hair. She isn’t sure why, but when he does that, while she is doing this, it makes her feel loved and protected. As if she is answering him, she takes his whole length this time, and buries him deep in her throat. He guides her head as she bobs up and down a couple of times. 

She moves off of him, leaving him wet and ready for her. She stands up, and slips her panties off, while he never takes his eyes off of her. Soon, she is climbing back up on the bed, and before he can catch his breath, she straddles him. 

“Are you going to fuck me, baby?” he growls. 

“I think I am,” she moans back to him, and with his hands on her hips, he helps his new wife do exactly that. 

 

Kpkppkp  
She loves waking up in his arms. Years and years ago, she decided that this was one of the best parts of life. And her first morning of being Mrs. Peeta Mellark, she wants to enjoy this as long as possible. The new baby, has other plans though, she thinks as she hangs her head over the toilet. 

She hears Peeta coming to the doorway and then walking away. She just hopes that he doesn’t start spraying Lysol everywhere again. 

She reaches up and flushes the toilet, and sits on the cool tile of the bathroom floor. She hears the water running and a wet, blissfully cold washcloth is pressed to her forehead. He lets it rest there for a minute, and then he wipes her face with it. He rinses it off again, and washes her face again. 

When she can finally open her eyes, she looks into his gratefully. “Thank you. I need to brush my teeth,” she says as he helps her up.

After she is done, he helps her back to the bed, where there is another glass of ginger ale and crackers waiting on her. “Already, you are figuring this out.”

He kisses her on the forehead before she lays down. He slips in behind her and holds her while she munches. “How long will the nausea last?”

“I was very sick with Jack. Once I was even so dehydrated I ended up in the hospital. Maybe it won’t be so bad with this one.”

“I hope so too.” He is going to have to make some changes, but he gets an idea about the rest of their honeymoon. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

They leave the cabin on Sunday afternoon. It’s a day early, and they enjoyed their time alone, but with Katniss not feeling well and missing their Bear, they decide to go on home. Besides, they have to get ready for the rest of their week. 

Pulling into the driveway, Peeta has just turned the Jeep off when Jack comes barreling out to meet them with Prim following close behind.

Jack reaches Katniss first, giving her a big hug, and then runs to Peeta. Katniss ruffles Jack’s hair and says to Jack, “Are you ready for the rest of our trip?”

“Yes!” he says jumping up and down. “Where are we going?”

Katniss looks to Peeta who is grinning at his son. She elbows his side and smirks, “Yeah, Dad. Where are we going?”

“You mean you don’t know?” Prim asks.

“He won’t tell us,” Jack says with a pout.

“I don’t know if I should—“ Peeta says slowly.

“Let’s get in the house. I need to pee.” Katniss says.

Prim and Katniss walk into the house while Jack helps Peeta with the bags. “How are you feeling?”

“The morning sickness is bad. Yesterday, I ate some crackers before I even got up. That helped a little. I’m just wondering if I should go to the doctor before the trip.” Katniss says.

“You really don’t know where you are going?” Prim wonders.

“It’s a surprise—“

That is when Peeta interrupts her. “Jack and I are running over to Mom and Dad’s.” He kisses her softly. “I have a surprise for you.”

The sisters exchange a confused look, and then giggle. Katniss goes to the bathroom, and Prim follows her, standing outside in the hallway. “I think it will be alright to go on the trip. Just remember to drink a lot. You do remember what it feels like to be dehydrated?” Prim asks.

Katniss answers her coming out of the bathroom. “Oh, yes. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that bad before.”

“Have you been able to sleep?”

“Sleep isn’t a problem.” She looks down at the luggage. “I guess I should do some laundry. But I’m going to sit down first.”

The sisters sit down on the couch and start catching up. Katniss can’t keep her eyes open, and Prim isn’t at all surprised when she falls asleep. 

Prim doesn’t have long to wait, when she hears a strange horn beeping. She gets up and looks out the window, and sees the Mellark’s Class A camper sitting on their street. If her new brother-in-law is going to take her sister camping, he doesn’t have to do it in one of those. 

“Hey, Katniss,” she calls over her shoulder, “Wake up.”

Katniss comes to join her, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “What is he doing in that?” she asks, as they see Jack waving to them from the window. They make their way outside. 

Jack calls to them, “Look! We are taking this on the trip!”

Peeta rolls down the driver’s side window. “Come on in!”

Jack swings the door open for them. As soon as they are inside, Katniss demands, “Ok, Mellark. Tell me what is going on?”

“Sit down,” He says. “I know that you have been sick—“

“Mommy is sick? What is a matter?” Jack asks.

“We may as well tell him.” Katniss shrugs.

“It’s up to you.” Peeta says. 

Katniss pulls Jack into a hug. “Would you like a baby brother or a sister?”

“I guess,” He looks at his parents confused. “Where are we going to get a baby at?”

Katniss smiles. “Do you remember how Madge had Jessie in her tummy?”

“Oh,” he says, as realization dawns on his face. “I remember. So you are going to get fat?”

“Well, when you were in there,” she holds out her arms to mimic a pregnant belly, “I got to about here.”

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

This time Peeta answers, “We don’t know yet. Would it be ok if the baby is a girl?” 

“Or it could be a boy, right?” Jack asks.

“It could be one or the other.” Peeta agrees with him. Jack gets a big smile on his face. “Are you excited?”

With a grin, Jack says, “I am. Now will you tell us where we are going?”

“Well if I must tell you—“ Peeta teases.

“And tell us why are we taking your parent’s RV?” Katniss asks.

“Well, I know that we missed the beach trip because of my knee. So we are going to Disney for a couple of days.” he smiles at the looks on his family’s faces. “And stop by a couple of beaches on the way home.”

“But the RV—“ Katniss starts.

“I called Dad. He started making some calls to the campgrounds, and we are actually going to save money doing it this way.” He kisses Katniss. “I figured that with you not feeling so well, this might make traveling easier.”

She looks at the master bed in the back. “I guess it would be better. Ok you have convinced me. When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow?” Peeta asks.

“Sounds good. I’ll need your help.”

“I’ll help, too Mommy!” Jack adds. 

“Well then. I guess we need to go get ready for our trip,” Katniss says. 

Prim and Jack exit the camper and Peeta holds her back for a moment. “You know, I love you,” he says, as he pulls her close.

She kisses him. “I love you, too.”

“You have given me everything I’ve ever wanted. Thank you.”

“No, thank you for coming back into our lives, even I didn’t want you to.” she says.

They rest their foreheads together, and he asks her, “Will you stay with me?”

With the smile that he loves so much, she says, “Always.”

And they exit the camper to go look for their family.

~kp~kp~kp~

Thank you so much!!! Leave me some love and tell me what you thought! Oh… and make sure you follow me, and this story… there is a certain someone who might be due around Christmas ;)


End file.
